


Nameless

by purplelion



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - College/University, Anal Sex, Angst with a Happy Ending, Artist Keith (Voltron), Astronomy Major Lance, Blood Drinking, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Grinding, Hand Jobs, M/M, Major Character Injury, Making Out, Slow Burn, Smut, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Vampire Hunter Keith, Vampire Hunters, Vampire Lance (Voltron), Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-06-04 20:05:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 102,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15154640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplelion/pseuds/purplelion
Summary: Lance McClain was not pale. He enjoyed the sun as much as any other, and though he was often run down or fatigued, this was due to his steadily amounting college work, not his need to sleep upside down. He was everything a vampire wasn't. Oh, except for his constant cravings for blood, and the name in cursive permanently scrawled over his wrist.Since the name had appeared on Lance's thirteenth birthday, he'd been desperately waiting for the day he'd finally meet his soulmate. And it finally comes, the first day of his second year of college, delivering a boy that causes everything Lance had fantasized to come crashing down around him. Not only is his mate a human, but he's the kind of human that despises vampires. A hunter named Keith.But matters of the heart aren't the only thing standing in Lance's way, for a much greater enemy is on the horizon, posing a threat not only to Lance and his family, but to Keith, too. The nameless are coming for them, and soon.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! Just a quick thank you to everyone for being so patient and encouraging these past weeks. It's just me writing and editing my stories so obviously it takes a bit of time. Your kind comments mean a lot to me. I'm so excited to share this fic with you, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Enjoy!  
>  \- A xx
> 
> FIC WARNINGS: **Character Injury, Violence, Assault, Minor Character Death** and **Explicit Sexual Content**
> 
> —————❖—————
> 
> Remember to leave any prompts you want me to write in the comments below :) Don’t be shy, I’m up for writing almost anything. You can also find me on [Wattpad](https://www.wattpad.com/user/purplelion46), and I post updates of where I am on my fics on my [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/purplelion46/?hl=en) so check it out!

Keith had always hated first days. He'd never had a first day of kindergarten- he'd had a first day in the orphanage. The other kids had locked him in a supply closet, and the carers hadn't found him until the next morning. He'd known ever since then that he was insignificant, just another face in the background. Inconspicuous. It served him well.

The first day of school was equally as bad. After taking one look at him his English teacher had sat him in the back away from all the other kids, all of whom were warned to be wary of his quiet demeanor and permanently woeful expression. By the end of the day he'd made zero friends. Unless you counted the rat he'd seen while eating lunch in the bathroom.

The next first wasn't as awful. His first day in his new home. It took four years for him to finally be adopted- most families would barely glance at him before turning away in either guilt or disgust. But not this one. The Shiroganes took their first look and rather than turn away they'd slowly approached him. Mrs Shirogane had surprised him with her gentle touch and even gentler words. He'd remained quiet, but they didn't mind. It took him months to smile, but they worked up to it. He slept on a proper mattress and ate food that hadn't come from a can, and finally, _finally_ found somewhere he belonged.

But that was the only good first day he'd ever had. After that came the first day of high school - he was thrown into a locker and beaten up for looking at someone the wrong way before first period had even started. Then the first day of work. Five minutes in he'd been fired for punching some homophobic scumbag in the face after he'd cussed out two females holding hands on one of the tables.

The first day without his parents. That was the worst day he could remember. His older brother had held him after they'd received the news that their parents hadn't made it, for the entire night until the dehydration of crying had lead them to the kitchen of the police station. It was there they devised the next first day for both of them.

The first day of vampire hunting. He still had the scar from the first vamp he'd ever staked, an elongated blade mark stretching from his abdomen to his stomach. Shiro's shitty stitching had made sure he'd be in its company for the rest of his life.

So needless to say, Keith wasn't enthusiastic for his first day of college.

Shiro whistled along to the radio besides him as they pulled into the lot of UCLA. Keith was fortunate to have gotten in- between not graduating from high school and his tendency to punch people in the face, he never would have gotten accepted if not for Allura, daughter of the dean and Shiro's best friend/official beard. He made up the entire year of high school he'd missed with night classes, and even managed to study enough to skip a year of college to catch up with others his age.

The board of education called him a genius. His classmates at night school called him an asshole. He answered to both.

Keith was able to adapt to most situations soon enough. Hell, he adjusted to killing vampires in weeks. Except college wasn't like hunting- he didn't get a profile of his classmates, or a list of their weaknesses. Once again he was the new kid, entering an arena where his opponents had already settled into their cliques. He had no hope of survival. He'd expressed this fear to Shiro, but his brother had just rolled his eyes, called him a drama queen and turned back to his dinner.

They parked in a space right outside the looming entrance. Peeking up underneath the car visor Keith was met by a hulking structure, a hybrid of ugly brown brick and glass, with open wooden doors that stretched up to the roof. He nibbled at his already blotchy bottom lip, fiddling with the sleeve of his hoodie like he always had when he was nervous.

"Hey, they're just doors, y'know?" Shiro smirked smugly as he slammed Keith's rucksack into his chest. Keith curled his fingers around the strap, giving his brother a dry look in response, opening the car door with his hand and a violent kick of his foot.

"Come on, Keith. It's college. You don't have to talk to anyone other than your guide and maybe your professors." Shiro assured him, "You've got everything you need, right?" Shiro nodded towards his bag, sagging from the abounding number of items he'd tucked inside of it.

"Yup. I've got three stakes and my blade is in my boot." Keith responded, lifting his pant leg to reveal the red hilt of his favorite knife.

"What about your ring?"

Keith raised his middle finger wordlessly, displaying the plain silver band Shiro had gotten him for his birthday. Shiro rolled his eyes, batting Keith's hand away.

"Y'know, most parents ask if their kid has enough pencils, not lethal weapons." Keith responded dryly.

"I'm not your parent, I'm your brother." Shiro countered, "And you've gotta be prepared- California is crawling with vamps. If you see one you know what to do."

"Shiro I don't think I'm gonna make friends by pinning someone to the ground and staking them through the heart." Keith sighed, lowering his voice as they stepped through the wide doors of the college. 

"Then come to me if you find one- understand?" Shiro mumbled, speaking through his smile as Allura and her father approached them.

Keith swallowed, nodding subtly, "Got it."

"Keith! Welcome to UCLA, I trust you found the campus easily?" Alfor greeted them with an easy smile, taking Keith's hand and shaking it firmly. Keith resisted the urge to wrench it from his grasp.

"It's a big ass campus. It'd be pretty hard to miss."

Allura snorted, slapping her hand over her mouth. Keith's eyes, which had been trained on the floor up till now, widened, and he snapped his gaze up to Alfor's.

"S-Sorry, I didn't-"

Thankfully Alfor just laughed, clapping a large hand down on Keith's shoulder, which sagged with relief.

"It's fine, Keith- though I hope you'll keep the cursing to a minimum...?"

"Of course, sir. Sorry." Keith mumbled as Alfor used his grip on his shoulder to guide him towards reception, where a bulky guy stood, wearing a trustworthy, albeit apprehensive expression.

"This is Hunk. He and Allura are going to show you around. They'll also escort you to your first class- may I see your timetable?"

Keith swore he saw Alfor wince as he yanked a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket, pressing it into his palm. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hunk try his hardest to suppress a chuckle.

"You have astrophysics first? I didn't peg you for a physicist." Alfor blinked at him in surprise after a quick glance to his timetable.

Keith shuffled uncomfortably, tucking his hands into his pocket, "My adviser told me to take it. Seemed like a safe option."

Hunk nodded, "My friends are in that class, I can show you the way." His voice was soft and bassy- Keith felt comforted by it.

Alfor clapped his hands together, making Keith jump a little.

"Perfect. Keith, if you have any more questions Hunk and Allura are more than willing to assist you." He concluded. Keith swallowed, turning to Shiro hesitantly, blinking up at him.

Shiro pulled him into a strong embrace. Keith exhaled into his shoulder, squeezing him tightly before they reluctantly parted.

"I'll pick you up when you're done, okay? Call me if you need anything." Shiro mumbled down at him, ruffling his hair affectionately. Keith adjusted his grip on his bag, his gaze boring into the floor as Shiro begrudgingly turned back towards the doors with a perturbed gait.

"Ready?"

Keith turned at the sound of Allura's soft voice, nodding. He took one last glance towards Shiro's car before slowly following them through the reception to the main halls.

"Don't be nervous, man. The professors here are super chill and bullying is pretty much non existent. You have nothing to worry about." Hunk assured him, perceptively observing Keith's hunched over frame and flitting, anxious eyes.

"I'm not nervous I've just..." Keith sighed, "I've never done this before."

Allura's brow furrowed, "What, college? Aren't you Hunk's age?"

"Yeah, I skipped a year." Keith said wryly, turning his attention to the view outside the windows. There were hundreds of students milling about the green in the center, resting on picnic blankets or draped over benches and trees. He could have sworn he saw a pair of legs sticking out of the bushes, too, but Hunk and Allura's swift pace had them moving on too soon to check.

"Wow, that's pretty cool- I have a friend that skipped a year too. She's like a child genius, or something. She's in your astrophysics class." Hunk piped up, smiling brightly.

"Cool..." Keith mused. Allura slowed her pace a little so she was walking next to him, glancing at his time table. Her mouth parted in surprise as she surveyed the list of classes.

"You're doing a minor in art? Hey, Hunk, we should take him to see Shay." Allura skipped up to Hunk, jiggling his arm excitedly.

"We should probably show him where to shit first, Allura." Hunk grinned, managing to worm a tiny snort of laughter from Keith, which made the tall man's lips spread ever wider.

One by one they showed him around the vast campus- the cafeteria was right in the center of it all. It was large and shiny and white, and the staff seemed nice enough, consisting mainly of small old ladies with kind smiles and hairnets. The food didn't seem half bad either, at least compared to the meatloaf Keith was forced to eat three days a week at his old high school. And as promised, Hunk and Allura also gave him a map of where to find the bathrooms, as well as a carefully labelled sheet of directions to each of his classrooms. He took them gratefully, tucking them discreetly behind his three wooden stakes he'd put into a hidden pocket in his bag.

"Where's your homeroom?" Allura asked as they were headed away from the cafeteria.

"Not sure- I have Professor Iverson?"

Hunk and Allura simultaneously winced.

"Unlucky- he's a total douchebag. Lance was almost suspended for filling his coffee with lube once." Allura and Hunk both smirked at the memory.

"It was epic." Allura mused with a wistful sigh.

Keith cocked his brow, "Lance?"

"He's our other friend in your Astrophysics class- Iverson teaches that too, by the way. Lance pisses him off so much there's a vein on his forehead named after him." Hunk elaborated with a smirk.

"Lance is a goofball but he's pretty lovable. You two should get along okay." Allura assured him.

"He'll probably flirt with you, but just tell him to back off and he will." Hunk added.

"He's gay?" Keith's head fell to the side curiously.

Hunk chuckled, "God no- he's bi. He was after Allura for months before she finally turned him down. Again, was the cake really necessary, 'Llura?" He grinned.

"I think rejecting him with frosting was nicer than rejecting him by sleeping with him and telling him to fuck off after." She said pointedly.

"Oh yeah... I tried warning him about Suzy. She's the biggest slut on campus." Hunk pondered, "I need to remind Matt to piss in her coffee next time she swings by."

Keith blinked between them with a cocked brow.

"Your friends sound... interesting." Keith clucked honestly.

Hunk barked suddenly, clapping his hand on Keith's shoulder, "Sorry, dude, didn't mean to exclude you there." Hunk said sheepishly, heading down the hall towards a big blue door covered in pieces of newspaper and splatters of paint.

"It's fine, your friends must be pretty cool." Keith responded, following Hunk and Allura down the hall to the door. It was labelled art, which was no surprise considering the decoration of the door.

"They are. And now you're one of them." Hunk grinned as he kicked the door open. Keith blinked in surprise before heading into the classroom after him, Allura at his back.

The girl closest to the door caught sight of them immediately, her face lighting up as Hunk slid up behind her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and planting a kiss on her lips.

"I'm assuming that's his girlfriend and not some stranger he decided to hug." Keith mumbled to Allura.

"Nah, that's his sister. They're _super_ close." She winked, elbowing him in the side.

His mouth contorted in horror and she spluttered, doubling over with laughter, pointing towards his incredulous face.

"Holy shit- I'm _kidding,_ Keith. Shay _is_ his girlfriend."

Keith frowned at her as Hunk turned, shooting her a glare.

"The sibling thing Allura- again? Half the fucking campus already thinks we're related." Hunk scowled at her as Shay fell back against his chest, patting his cheek fondly. Keith glanced her over- like her boyfriend she was soft looking, with lots of curves and a smooth, symmetrical face. Her hair was deep brown and embroidered with multi-colored beads, all the strands braided and tied into a bun. Her eyes were bright and crinkled from smiling, brown and speckled with flecks of gold.

"You must be the new kid?" She cocked her brow.

Keith nodded, stepping forwards to observe her easel. His eyes widened at the flawless image of a golden planet enveloped in the folds of space, so immaculate it looked like a photograph. 

"She's talented, right?" Hunk grinned proudly, kissing her head as she blushed humbly.

"It's not that good." She hummed.

"It... really is." Keith said awestruck, hearing Allura chuckle behind him.

"What sort of stuff do you paint?" Shay puzzled, dropping her brush back into water and wiping her hands down on her pinny.

Keith shrugged, his hands returning to his pockets, "Mostly concept art... some portraits and real life stuff if I get inspiration."

"Mind if I look?" Shay gestured to his bag, heavy with his sketchpad.

Keith's eyes widened and he shuffled in place, conscious of the contents of his bag he was sure would alarm most people if they saw.

"Unfortunately we really should get going- first period has already started and he needs to get to class." Allura helpfully interjected, pulling Keith away, "See you, Shay." She waved. Hunk didn't even notice them leaving, remaining in the classroom to fawn over his girlfriend and her art.

"Shy, huh?" Allura grinned once her and Keith were back out in the hall. Keith shrugged, focusing his gaze on the wooden flooring. She laughed airily, guiding him round the corner away from the art department.

"It's fine. Your brother is just as secretive." She chuckled, "Come on- Astrophysics is this way."

Keith followed her wordlessly, thankful that she'd opted to leave the conversation there. He knew Shiro often had to ditch Allura when they hung out to come on hunting jobs with him. It was really a miracle she hadn't caught on yet.

"Here we are!" Allura came to a stop outside a plain brown door, rapping three times to announce their arrival. Keith waited anxiously behind her as the door flung open, revealing a balding man with one eye frowning down at them. Allura continued to smile, despite his obviously miffed expression.

"Morning, professor. I have a new student for you." She stepped aside, pulling Keith forwards. He slowly looked up at the professor, swallowing when he found him sneering down at him.

"You're late." He barked.

"I was just showing him around campus, sir. I apologize if we disrupted your class." Allura said sincerely, ducking her head.

Iverson scoffed, cocking his head inside the classroom.

"Get in."

Allura gave Keith's arm a brief squeeze.

"You have art next, right? Do you remember where to go?"

Keith nodded, offering a weak smile, "Yeah. Thanks, 'Llura."

She grinned before heading off towards her own class, leaving Keith alone with the hulking man. He shut his eyes for a second, taking a deep breath before ducking under the arm holding the door for him.

The start of a new first day.

———————❖———————

Mornings had always been the bane of Lance's existence. Pair that with a killer hangover and his loud, Cuban mother yelling at him and it didn't make for the happiest start to a new academic year. He entered the UCLA campus without a skip in his step, wrapped in his favorite jacket and jeans for comfort as he shuffled towards his first stop of the day. He looked a mess he knew. He'd barely brushed his hair- he could already feel it flopping into his eyes - and his skin was pallid and his eyes lacking their usual lightness.

He groaned as he shouldered the door of the university coffee shop open, body aching from the effort. His head was pounding and his limbs could barely be considered functional, his legs carrying him around with a floppiness that resembled Frankenstein. The yellow lights were kind to his hangover, but judging by the grin on the barista's face he had a feeling that wouldn't last long.

"Finished the summer with a bang, huh?" Matt asked with a lilt to his voice, sliding Lance's already prepared latte over the counter. Lance took a huge swig, moaning in ecstasy.

"Fuck off." He finally panted when he brought the cup away from his lips. Matt chuckled, following him over to the table in the corner, where Pidge and Hunk were already lounging in chairs with knowing smirks on their faces, sipping at brown cups.

"You were up all night partying _again?"_ Hunk chuckled, shaking his head at his friend as Lance fell into a chair next to him, flipping him an unfriendly hand gesture.

"Shove it up your ass, McClain. Don't take your hangover out on us." Pidge sneered, kicking her legs up onto the table. Her t-shirt was appropriately baggy for the cooler weather, her jeans ripped and her hair tied up in a scruffy bun on her head, per usual. She lacked grace, style and basic human decency but damn him to hell Lance loved her.

"Would you be quiet, Pidget? I'm suffering over here." Lance groaned.

"Oh, poor baby. Need Hunk to kiss it better?" She smirked, their large friend leaning over with puckered lips, which Lance shoved away with the flat of his palm.

Matt whistled, shoving Lance's collar aside to reveal several purple bite marks around his neck, "Woah, McClain. How lucky did you get last night?" 

Lance shrugged him off, rubbing at his sore neck.

"Don't even remind me. She was fucking vicious- I had to get security to pull her off my neck." Lance scowled, taking another scalding sip of coffee.

"You know, for someone lucky enough to have an _actual_ soulmate, you sure don't seem that bothered about finding him." Hunk pointed out, "I know the whole blood sucking... sucks, but you've gotta focus on the positive."

Lance gestured to his neck dryly, "Not much positive for me to focus on, buddy. I'm starting to doubt he even exists." Lance frowned, stroking at his wrist through the bracelet concealing the cursive name underneath.

"Then maybe you should spend your time _looking_ for him rather than partying at vamp bars and sleeping with random people who maul you." Hunk scolded him, glancing at his abused neck pointedly.

"I _tried_ looking for him. I've been to every vampire bar in the state and I've never met _'Keith.'"_ Lance frowned, raising his wrist to displaying the sliver of the name that had haunted him since it had first appeared.

"Maybe he's a human?" Pidge suggested, draining the final dregs of her coffee before tossing it at Matt, hitting him squarely in the face. He winced, picking it and taking it back to the bar, while Hunk fixed Pidge with a weighted glare. She froze, noticing Lance had fallen silent and was now gazing down at his coffee, frowning into the substance.

Hunk scowled at Pidge, elbowing her violently.

"Sorry, Lance." She stuttered, "I'm sure that's not it. Maybe you've just visited the wrong bars. He might be in a different state- hell he could be in a different _country."_

Lance laughed harshly, "All those would be better than him being human. You know what happened to vamps that are rejected by their mates." His mouth twisted sourly.

"That won't happen to you." Hunk assured him, patting Lance's hand.

"Whatever, now I'm depressed." He frowned, "What time is it, anyway?"

Pidge checked her watch, "We've got like fifteen minutes before class starts."

Hunk's eyes flew open and he shot up out of his seat, his coffee flying across the table and onto the floor as he grappled for his bag and hat.

"Shit! I'm meant to be showing around the new guy, today." He spluttered, voice laced with panic, "I've got five minutes to meet Allura and the dean!"

"Fucking run, Garrett!" Pidge yelled after him as he bolted from the coffee shop and towards the main campus, leaving Lance and Pidge behind with the flurry of his departure, giggling to themselves.

"I love him, but punctuality is _so_ not his thing."

Pidge snorted, "Yup. Did he happen to mention who the new guy is?"

"Nope. He's in our first class though, apparently." Lance shrugged, "Think he'll warn him about Iverson?"

"If he has any kind of common decency he will." Pidge laughed, rising with Lance so they could make their way over to first period. They walked slowly over the common, observing the early morning nappers and extra-studious pupils already curled up with a textbook despite the biting weather.

"Remind me why I took astrophysics?" Pidge scowled, glaring up at the window concealing the bland brown classroom they were headed towards. Lance shrugged.

"Cause you're a child genius who gets free tuition for taking it?" Lance cocked his brow.

"Oh yeah." Pidge smirked.

Lance scoffed, "You don't even _study._ It isn't fair."

"Oh, and you do?" Pidge flicked his aching neck pointedly.

Lance growled glaringly at her, slapping her hand away.

"Aw, did I anger the big bad vampire? Should I get some garlic and make a little necklace?" She said sweetly, batting her eyelashes.

"That's racist."

Pidge rolled her eyes, letting the door fall in Lance's face as she entered their classroom. It hit him squarely on the nose, prompting a dog-like squeal from him. She snorted while he pouted, the sound earning the attention of the stony faced professor at the front.

"Holt, McClain, take your seats." Iverson ordered from behind his desk. As soon as he turned his attention back to his paperwork Lance scowled at him, mumbling curses in Spanish under his breath.

He fell into his seat besides Pidge, just in time for the start of class. He idly colored in the borders of his textbook, adorning one of the drawings with a beard and a penis for a nose. He smirked, glancing up to see Pidge looking at him with a mix of disappointment and disgust.

"Whoever is destined to be with you must be a fucked up person." She muttered as Iverson drawled away at the front of the classroom, the scratchy sound of his chalk on the board making Lance wince. His oversensitive hearing was both a blessing and curse- a blessing when he needed to listen to his brother's porn three rooms away, but a curse during Iverson's lectures.

"Where do you think the new guy is?" Pidge mused, her eyes trained on the silent door. Lance shrugged, fiddling with the hem of his shirt in his boredom.

"Maybe he, Hunk and Allura are having a threesome in a closet somewhere." She mused, causing Lance to choke on his own spit.

"I know humans don't have soulmates but yours would be even more fucked up than mine." He grumbled as Pidge grinned devilishly at him.

"Just wanted you to have that image in your head forever. You’re welcome." She winked.

Lance was just about to fire off a retort when there was a knock at the door, and Iverson paused in his lecture.

Lance breathed in relief, "Oh thank Jesus, I thought I was gonna have to go up and snap that fucking chalk in half."

Iverson wore his usual scowl as he approached the door. Lance saw a flash of shocking white hair and heard Allura's soft voice exchanging quiet conversation with Iverson. He leaned forwards, spotting a head of black hair and a sliver of pale skin stood behind her. A few moments later Iverson swung the door open, re-entering the room with a timid looking guy not much shorter than Lance, gazing down at the floor with his hands shoved in his pockets.

"Everyone, we have a new student joining us. This is Keith."

The second the name left Iverson's lips the new student's gaze flickered up, clashing instantly with Lance's. All of a sudden it was like an orchestra warming up in Lance's heart, in his blood- it felt electric, so much so he jolted in his chair. He couldn't bring himself to look away, his vision flooding with a deep indigo he recognized as Keith's eyes. There was muffled talking next to him from Pidge, but it was white noise. Everything was meaningless other than the boy stood at the foot of the classroom.

But then he looked away, and it was like coming down from the greatest high of his life- extraordinary and sublime and painfully treacherous. 

"-ance, _Lance."_ He finally registered what Pidge was saying, and his gaze snapped to hers. She looked so worried, and a few beats later he figured out why.

That was his soulmate. He was _human,_ just like Lance had feared.

The most beautiful human he'd ever seen.


	2. Chapter 2

Keith had caught sight of him the moment he'd entered the classroom. He'd been completely enraptured by the intensity of his gaze as their eyes met, and hadn't come to his senses for several potent seconds. When he finally had it was like crashing back into reality after some kind of fantastical dream. It was a similar high to hunting, except suddenly he felt like the one being hunted was _him._

He pointedly avoided the strange guy's gaze for the next minute, as the professor introduced him to the class.

"You can take a seat next to Lance." Iverson announced, "Maybe you can try teaching him some manners."

Keith's heart skipped a beat as the professor gestured towards the same guy that'd been staring at him moments before. They wore duel expressions of shock, avoiding eye contact as Lance's hand slowly rose into the air.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, professor, but isn't teaching _your_ job?" He cocked his brow. Keith watched with surprise as a pulsing vein suddenly appeared on the professor's forehead.

_'Oh, that must be the Lance vein.'_

"Close your mouth, McClain, or we'll be spending _another_ Saturday detention together." Iverson snapped, while Keith quietly made his way up the stairs to his seat.

"C'mon Professor, you love it when my mouth is open." Lance drawled sensually, the entire lecture room chortling and whistling their approval around him. Keith suppressed his own chuckle as he slid into the seat next to Lance. Iverson shot him and Pidge a stink eye as they high-fived under the table, Lance lounging back in his chair and draping his hands over the back. He wordlessly outstretched one to Keith.

"I'm Lance. You're the dude Hunk was showing around?"

Keith nodded, gently taking Lance's hand and shaking it.

Lance's breath hissed between his teeth and he yanked his hand away, snagging Pidge's attention besides him. Keith glanced at his own hand, seeing a spot of glowing red ebbing away from the ring around his middle finger.

"I-Is that silver?" Lance gestured towards his ring, rubbing at his hand, which had become red and welted.

"He's allergic." Pidge quickly explained, tapping her pencil against her notebook, "And a pussy."

Lance pursed his lips at her as he blew into his hand, rubbing his palms together with a wince. Keith kept his eyes trained on him as he soothed his skin, mouth twitching suspiciously.

"Sorry, it's a family heirloom." Keith said coolly, spinning his ring round his finger, "That sucks, though. Allergies to silver are pretty rare. Does it run in your family?"

Lance grinned slightly down at his lap, flicking his gaze up to meet Keith's momentarily.

"You could say that."

Once again the feverish severity of Lance's gaze caught Keith off guard. As soon as Lance turned his focus back to the lecture Keith took his time studying his face. He wasn't pallid like most vampires, nor did he seem to shy away from the sunlight or flinch at loud noises. His eyes were a bright blue rather than startling yellow, and he looked at the other people in the room with amusement rather than hunger. He subverted everything Keith had learned about his kind, but he knew what those burns on Lance's hand meant. And it did _not_ mean a silver allergy.

Lance was careful to maintain a passive demeanor, but internally it was as if every nerve in his body had been set alight. His hearing was even more sensitive that usual. Every double pump of Keith's heart, as well as the steady flow of blood around his body, entered his ears as if through a loudspeaker. Even worse was the _smell._ The scent wafting off of Keith was better than any souffle his mami had ever made. This was what it was like to have a mate, he realized - pure and utter turmoil.

Despite his best efforts to conceal his inner torment, he soon felt Pidge's hand sneaking up his forearm, her nails digging harshly into his skin.

It was a system they'd come up with the first and last time Lance had lost control. They'd been on the bus home late at night with Shay and Hunk, when a guy sat behind them had started groping Shay through the gap of her seat. Lance had been escorted off the bus with his eyes aglow for punching him in the face - many, many times. The pain Pidge provided in his arm helped distract him, helped pin him to earth in case he ever felt himself being robbed of his control.

It wasn't until halfway through the lecture, when Lance's arms had been dented by Pidge's nails to the point of bleeding, that Iverson granted them a break. Keith excused himself to the bathroom in a quiet voice, his absence finally allowing Lance to exhale for the first time since he'd entered.

"Holy _shit,_ Lance." Pidge breathed, falling against her chair and releasing his arm from her claws, "I thought you were gonna lose it for a second."

Lance rubbed his palms over his face, "Pidge, what am I gonna _do?_ He's a _human!"_ He whispered urgently, eyes flashing desperately.

"First, you need to get a hold of yourself." Pidge told him, scowling, "After that, why don't you invite him for coffee tomorrow? You have a bit of time to ease him into it, right?"

Lance shook his head, biting at his thumb in doubt.

"I don't know, Katie." Lance murmured Pidge's name softly, "I didn't prepare for this. I figured he'd be a vamp! I only know one person with a human mate - there's supposed to only be like a 3% chance of it happening! I never imagined it would happen to me." Lance sighed, his head falling forwards between his arms, propped up on the desk by his elbows.

"Just don't overthink it." Pidge urged, "He seems cool. Hell if _Hunk_ was able to come to terms with it I'm sure your soulmate will." She rubbed his back encouragingly as he sighed.

At that exact moment Keith walked back in, and Lance sat bolt upright, lengthening his spine.

 _"Be cool."_ Pidge hissed as Keith walked towards them, falling back into his seat. Lance stared right ahead as Keith pulled his phone from his pocket, the incessant tapping of his fingers on his keyboard as he drafted a text barely reaching Lance's ears through the blood rushing through them. Glancing to his right he saw Pidge glaring up at him. She raised her thumb, discreetly jabbing it in Keith's direction.

"Don't be a pussy." She whispered, just as Iverson re-entered the room and Keith tucked his phone back into his jacket, keeping his hands in his pockets. Iverson started the lecture back again, but neither Keith nor Lance were taking notes. Occasionally the professor would pick on him with a question, and Keith would answer with ease and fluency, the words rolling off his tongue like he'd committed them to memory. It was clear he was intelligent, anybody could guess that from his responses. But other than the times he was called on, Keith simply gazed at the board with a glazed over expression and Lance, well, Lance was looking at Keith.

It seemed the universe tried to make it up to him for making Keith human in Keith's appearance- he was like everything Lance found attractive rolled into a single person. He came up just past Lance's shoulders, but he clearly held some strength in his arms and legs despite his smaller stature. His hair was dark and the perfect length to pull, long enough Lance suspected it could even be crafted into a stubby ponytail if Keith so wished it. His skin was smooth and his lips were just the right shade of pink, plump and so soft looking Lance wanted to nibble at them for hours.

His eyes were the cherry on top, though. They were a color Lance had waited his entire life to see, but he couldn't even name. From a distance they appeared to be a dark grey, but close up he could see they were in fact ringed with deep indigo - was that even a natural eye color? He wasn't sure. But it seeped into his irises like water running into dye, creating a dark spiral Lance could easily be hypnotized by.

He couldn't quite gauge his personality - they'd barely exchanged a word or two, after all - but Lance was certain that would be equally as spectacular. He was shy, that much was clear, but he hadn't missed the little tilt of lips when he'd sassed Iverson. It intrigued him immeasurably, but as the minutes trickled by it became harder and harder to fathom the right words to say.

Eventually the whole hour had passed and the bell for second period rang. Keith got up immediately, and Pidge's head fell to the desk.

"You literally just stared at him. For a whole hour." She groaned, opening her eyes to fiercely glare at him, "Ask him _now."_

Lance nodded, turning in his seat and tapping Keith's turned back. Keith glanced over his shoulder with a cocked brow, and Lance cleared his throat, twiddling his thumbs.

"Hey, um, we were wondering if you're free for coffee tomorrow morning? We meet at the university coffee shop every day. You're welcome to join us, if you want."

Keith held his gaze for an uncomfortable few seconds, the thumb peeking out of his pocket rubbing over the hem thoughtfully. Eventually he nodded slowly, pulling his bag from the floor to loop it over one shoulder.

"I guess. I don't have anything else to do." He shrugged.

Lance smiled with relief, "Cool, that's- that's cool, we meet twenty minutes before the first bell. Pidge's brother Matt works there so he'll give you a discount if you tell him you're there to meet us."

"Sweet, sweet nepotism." Pidge grinned.

"Will do. Thanks, guys." Keith gave him a curt wave, the ends of his jacket curled round his fingers- _adorable, he's so adorable._

Pidge nudged him with a smirk, "I'm surprised he agreed considering you were creepily staring at him all of class."

"Shut up, Pidget." Lance raised his right middle finger, pulling his own satchel over his body, "I'll see you later."

"See you, loverboy." She grinned, hoisting her own bag over her tiny frame before kicking the door open, disappearing from sight. Lance shook his head, despite his wavering grin.

———————❖———————

Thanks to the tour Keith soon managed to find his bounds, so locating the art classroom again didn't take much time - just a few wrong turns. He arrived early, finding Shay already present and sat in the same spot as earlier. He doubted she'd even moved from her seat, her tongue poking between her teeth in concentration as she added the finishing touches to her painting.

Upon the sound of the door opening her head snapped up. She smiled when she spotted Keith, her hand darting up to wave enthusiastically at him.

"Hey, new kid. How was your first class?" She inquired as he sat down at the stool next to her, pulling his sketchbook from his bag and resting it on his easel. He shrugged as he filled his pot with colored pencils and a black liner.

"It was okay. Iverson seems like a dick but I've never really needed professors anyway." He winced straight away upon realizing how uppity that must have sounded. Shay didn't seem to mind, though, as she only nodded in understanding.

"You'll like this class, then. Coran usually just leaves us alone, unless we're setting something on fire, or shit like that."

"Cool." Keith shrugged nonchalantly, glancing over to the red haired teacher smiling at a student as they conversed in front of an easel near the back. He seemed to be the complete foil of Iverson, with a welcoming expression and soft, slightly aged features. Keith pulled his book onto his lap and opened it to his most recent sketch.

"Damn..." Shay said in awe, glancing curiously over Keith's shoulder to peek at his drawings, "I thought you were only doing a minor in art?"

Keith cocked his brow, "I am."

She whistled, shaking her head, "That's a shame. You're talented. I know you said you did a lot of concept stuff, but these designs are amazing." She fawned over the paper, her fingernail tracing the motions of Keith's pencil.

"I guess so. It's just a hobby." He shrugged.

"You should take them to a gallery or something, I know a few writers who would die for illustrations like this." Shay told him, flipping over onto the next page, pausing as her eye landed on a sketch dominating over half of the paper, half colored and lined with black.

"Vampires?" Her mouth twitched.

"Er, yeah..." He rubbed his neck, "I'm pretty into folk law and stuff like that."

She nodded, turning back to Keith's original page and sliding the book back over onto his lap.

"We have a lot of books in the library about vampires. I'm pretty sure Lance is the only one who's ever taken them out, but they should still be there." She smiled, while Keith froze.

"Lance, huh?"

"Yeah, he was in your last class, wasn't he?" She tipped her head at a slight angle.

Keith shrugged, "We didn't talk much, but he invited me to coffee tomorrow." He tipped the corners of his mouth up shyly.

"Like a date?" Shay's head cocked.

Keith waved his hands, "Oh, no, not a date. He said others would be there. I figured it would be good to meet some more people." He shrugged.

"Oh, right." She smiled, "My classes are usually later - today is a one off - but Hunk, Pidge and Matt should be there."

He nodded, turning his attention to his page. He'd started it the night before when he couldn't sleep. It was scruffier than usual due to his lack of rest, the curves drawn over three or four times each and the coloring half-assed. He sighed, flipping the page to the vampire drawing Shay had had her eye on.

He didn't draw vamps much. Every time he did they always seemed to resemble someone he or Shiro had killed. This particular vampire, though, had left a lasting impression. She'd been younger than most of the vamps they apprehended, and it was clear in Keith's drawing. Her eyes were empty and naive and her skin was pale and sunken in at the cheeks, like paper blowing over a hollow window in the wind.

Usually Keith remained detached from the kills. Shiro found the vamps, and Shiro killed them. All Keith had to do was pin them down while he did it. But this particular vampire hadn't needed pinning down. She'd kissed her wrist and staked herself before Keith or Shiro could even lay a finger on her. Keith had checked the wrist her cold lips had touched moments before her death, but it was blank. They usually were, but occasionally they would find a name tattooed on the inside. He'd figured that was just a strange vampire custom.

He stroked a finger over the drawing, clearing his throat before focusing back on Shay.

"Could you... tell me more about Lance?" He swallowed, glancing back at his page, "It seemed like everyone liked him a lot."

Shay smiled putting down her brush, and resting her palms on her knees.

"That's because everybody _does_ like him. He's hella charismatic - I haven't know him as long as Hunk, but even before that I remember thinking I'd really like to meet him." She grinned at Keith, "He's super hot, too, so most of the girls and even some of the guys are crushing on him."

Keith averted his eyes, shaking his head at her bluntness with a small smile.

"But it's more than that," She added, "This one time a guy dumped Allura over text, so Lance turned up at his house and left him a classic flaming bag of dog shit. And for Hunk's birthday, Lance spent hours creating these designs for a rocket ship they'd made up as kids, and then he and his dad actually _built it._ It was only two feet tall, but it made Hunk cry."

Keith listened on with muted surprise as Shay described Lance animatedly, exaggerating her words with vibrant hand movements and bright eyes. He found himself slipping into a daze as she spoke, bringing to life a person Keith wanted to know. It couldn't be possible for Lance to be a vampire, he reconsidered. They were loners, no family, no friends. The few packs he and Shiro had taken down showed little concern for the fate of their fellow vampires.

But then again, the way he drew people to him, it could be a strategy. But why leave Shay and Hunk and Pidge alive? Sentiment, maybe? It all made Keith's head reel, but he knew what Shiro would say. He would remind him that their mission was too important. Vampires were killers, no matter how many friends they had.

"Keith?"

He snapped his eyes back to Shay, who was gazing at him perceptively.

"Sorry. I got distracted. Keep going, please."

His next two classes he asked the same question to his classmates. Each time their eyes would light up and they would describe Lance with the same enthusiasm as Shay. It seemed Lance had touched every single person in the school in some way or another - some literally, judging by the blushing faces of a few of his classmates at the mere mention of his name.

By the time he was due to meet Shiro he'd been bombarded with countless people praising Lance, leaving him more confused than ever.

"Hey, buddy. Have a good first day?" Shiro asked as he leaned over to pop the door open for Keith. He shrugged at his brother, tucking his backpack in the foot well before strapping himself in with a sigh.

"It was okay. The people are nice."

"Make any friends?" Shiro asked as he began to drive, pulling out of the parking lot and into the throngs of traffic.

"A few. I'm meeting some of Allura's friends for coffee tomorrow." He announced, glancing out of the window.

"There's a coffee shop on campus?"

"Yeah. Her friends know a guy that works there."

"That's cool. And are they-"

"Shiro." Keith cut him off, "Just ask, already."

His brother huffed, leaning back in his chair and taking one hand off the wheel to run it through his hair.

"Fine. Are there any vamps?"

"One." Keith blinked over at him, "In my astrophysics class. My ring burned him when we shook hands."

Shiro paused, mouth twitching as he mulled over the information. He tapped at his thigh, a small tick he'd picked up a while ago from Allura. With every thought he tapped down, creating a small rhythmic beat in his head.

"Is he hostile?" He finally asked.

"He seems harmless enough- he's actually a friend of Allura's."

A distasteful expression passed over Shiro's face. He nodded slowly, turning to his brother.

"Will he be there tomorrow morning?"

"Yeah. He was the one who invited me, actually." Keith murmured, turning back to the window to survey the scenery flashing past. He could feel Shiro watching him, seeing through him with little trouble.

"Probably cause he wants to kill you. You'll need to get him alone," Shiro continued, "You can't be around anyone else when you do it."

"And what's _it?"_ Keith said coolly, despite already knowing the answer.

Shiro glanced at him, turning into the driveway of their house. He shut the engine off, shunning them into silence until Shiro replied, sending a shiver down Keith's spine.

"You need to kill him, Keith."

———————❖———————

Lance bounded from his final class of the day wearing a large scowl, accentuated by the glare of the sun. Hunk was lazily scrolling through his social media, leaning against Lance's car like he had every day since he'd gotten her for his sixteenth birthday. His grandfather's Dodge Coronet. After Lance and his father had installed a new engine and given her a lick of fresh blue paint she was good as new, and Lance adored her like he would family.

Hunk noticed him approaching from a few feet away, and a large grin spread across his face as Lance furiously punched him in the arm.

"I'm guessing you met Keith?"

 _"Te odio."_ Lance hissed, "Why didn't you tell me the new guy just _happened_ to have the same name as my soulmate? Or at least that he's very, _very_ human."

"I didn't want you to freak out, like you clearly are!" Hunk raised his hands in surrender, "Besides, what if it wasn't your mate and he just happened to have the same name? I wanted to be sure."

"Well, he is, and I'm going to die." Lance fell against his car dramatically, "You hear that, Blue? You're going to be an orphan." He whispered to the hood mournfully.

"I can't believe you're half-straight. You're the most dramatic person I've ever met." Hunk rolled his eyes, slipping into the passengers seat, "Now drive me home. I have a curfew."

"Yeah, in eight hours." Lance scoffed, retrieving his car keys from his jacket nonetheless.

Hunk sighed, turning to his best friend guiltily, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Lance. But surely there's _some_ hope? Keith seemed really cool, and he's really interested in folk law and stuff like that." He reached into the dash, popping a lollipop into his mouth, "Who knows, maybe he'll be into it?" He smirked.

"Great, so I'm either dead or a kink." Lance deadpanned as he started the car, "Fucking Twilight has ruined our rep completely."

"At least they got the some stuff right," Hunk reasoned, "And I'm serious, Lance. Shay said he was asking about you all day. He's obviously interested."

Lance raised a brow with a tiny smile, "Really?"

Hunk separated his lips from the lollipop with a smack, "Yup. He wouldn't shut up about you, apparently."

"Oh..." Lance's lips twitched into a hesitant smile, "He didn't seem that interested in me in class."

"See, buddy," Hunk grinned, patting his arm reassuringly, "Don't give up yet."

They pulled into the packed driveway of Lance's house moments later. There were three cars parked outside already, crammed up together to leave room at the end for Blue.

"Mateo must be here." Lance mused as he spotted the black truck stationed near the front door in the spot his father's vintage Buick would usually be parked in.

"I'd come in and say hi but my mom is making Palusami for dinner and I do _not_ want to miss that." Hunk said remorsefully, pulling his backpack over his shoulders.

"No problem, bud. See you tomorrow?"

"Like I'd miss seeing you falling over yourself trying to impress Keith." Hunk smirked, saluting as he waved goodbye.

Lance shook his head with amusement as Hunk crossed the road to the quaint little house across from Lance's. They'd been neighbors since they were little and Hunk's family had moved over from Samoa. Lance had fired a nerf bullet into Hunk's dad's eye and the two had instantly become friends.

Once Hunk had disappeared through his front door Lance made his way up the drive to his own, slightly more peeling one. There was still a dent from when he and his older brother had taken turns riding their mattresses down the stairs. Despite almost breaking his leg after sailing into the door, the memory always brought a fond smile to his face.

"Mamá, I'm home!" He called once he'd jiggled his key enough to open the door, entering the chaos of his home. Before he'd even crossed the threshold two kids came bounding into him, almost taking him off his feet despite the younger of the two hardly being able to walk.

"Lance!" The taller one giggled, tugging on his shirt.

"Elena, what have I told you about running in the house?" Lance's brother came swinging around the corner out of the kitchen, hoisting the little blonde girl with bright green eyes over his shoulders.

"It's fine, Matty." Lance grinned to his older brother, lifting the other child from the floor. Sebastian was barely a year old but still, he was tiny for his age. A little mop of black hair fell into his forehead, which Lance brushed aside tenderly.

"They're always perfectly behaved until they see Ronnie. She's corrupted them." He grumbled as Elena squealed, pounding at his back with little fists.

"Papi, put me down!"

"Si, si." He groaned, placing her back down to the floor. Lance did the same with her brother, who toddled after her as she hurried back into the living room.

"She gets more like Camila every day, huh?" Mateo sighed.

"Don't worry, hermano, she's got your chin." Lance grinned, flicking his brother's scruffy beard before ducking under his arm into the kitchen, narrowly avoiding a punch in the face.

A short woman stood at the stove, a smaller boy besides her on a stool. His mother was curvy in all the right places- perfect for hugs whenever Lance needed them. Rosa's hair was the same shade of brown as Lance's, and permanently frizzy no matter how hard she tried to tame it. It was currently pulled into a fluffy ponytail that ran down her back towards her waist.

"Hey, Mami." Lance kissed her cheek, "Luis." He ruffled his frail little brother's hair, a tad darker than Lance's, though they had the same identical blue eyes that they'd inherited from their father. The boy ducked away from the touch, arching like a cat.

"Stop doing that," He whined, "It messes it up."

Lance smirked, flicking another strand out of place, receiving a slap on the arm from his mother as she added more onion to the chicken noddle soup brewing in the pot on the stove.

"Lance, leave your brother alone. Go set the table, Veronica did it yesterday. Oh, and don't put a plate down for your father, he'll be home late again."

Veronica entered with Sebastian on her hip, "Yeah, Lance, I've been doing your chores for days." She snitched, hoisting the tiny baby into his high chair at the table, pulling his hair back to kiss his forehead.

"Ay, Lance, just cause we're women doesn't mean we'll pack up the slack for you." His mother pinched his ear.

Lance grumbled his consent, hoisting the mountain of plates and cutlery over to the table, adorned with a lacy white table cloth. His sister poked her tongue out at him as she joined her mother at the stove, turning her back before she could notice the finger Lance gave in return.

"How was school?" Mateo asked as he entered the kitchen, holding Elena's hand and helping her into the tall kitchen chairs, providing a pillow to lift her high enough to reach her plate.

Lance sucked his lip into his mouth and shrugged, placing the final plate in front of Mateo, "It was okay... I met someone new."

Mateo cocked his brow, "Oh?"

"Yeah," Lance said slowly, blinking down at the table, "His name is Keith."

There was a clatter as the ladle Rosa was using to stir the soup with fell to the depths of the pot. She spun around with wide eyes, slapping her hand over her mouth.

"Is he...?" Her eyes were already brimming.

Lance nodded solemnly, giving her a tiny smile, "Yeah. He's my soulmate."

She squeaked with glee, pulling him in and rocking him against her.

"Lance that's wonderful." She smiled, pinching his cheek affectionately.

"You said he's new? Has another clan moved here?" Veronica piped up.

Lance shook his head, pulling away from his mother to turn to his sister.

"He isn't a vamp. He's human."

Her mouth parted a little in surprise, while Rosa's eyes widened and Mateo blinked down at the table.

"Oh..." Rosa murmured, squeezing Lance's hand, "Well that's alright. Camila is human and she accepted Mateo."

"Mami, Camila already knew about us before she met Mateo." Lance shook his head, "I think it's best not to get our hopes up."

"But if you two don't bond..." Luis said quietly from behind his brother, looking down at the floor.

"Hey, buddy." Lance tipped his chin up, "I'll figure it out, I promise. I'm not going anywhere." He clapped his hands together, rubbing his palms against one and other, "Now let's eat. I'm starved."

He ignored the occasional glances his siblings or mother would cast him during dinner, sipping at his soup and talking softly to Sebastian and Elena across from him. Once they'd finished he and Mateo were tasked with cleaning up, while Rosa, Luis and Ronnie took the kids upstairs to bathe them.

The two brothers worked silently at the sink, Lance washing up all the plates and spoons while Mateo dried them. He could sense the tension coming from his brother, Mateo's fingers clenched tightly around the towel and his knuckles white.

"It's alright to be scared, you know?" He said quietly, though the was only the whirring refrigerator to hear them.

Lance swallowed, hand around the scouring pad slowing as he scrubbed at the dirty plate. Both of them had ceased working, and they stood there in silence. Lance cleared his throat after a minute, passing Mateo the newly whitened plate.

"Good, cause I'm fucking terrified, Matty." He murmured, "I'm trying to be optimistic but it's... it's hard when my life depends on whether I can get a stranger to love me."

"Well? What's he like?"

Lance sighed, continuing to scrub as he glanced up at the window, across the green garden and into the trees. The sun had just set, producing a blend of dark purple and blue. The indigo yield reminded him of Keith's eyes.

"He's beautiful." He breathed, "And shy. He's smart, too, and Matty he smells _so good._ I almost lost it in the middle of class."

Mateo smirked as Lance rubbed the back of his palm across his forehead, wiping a bit of soap over his skin in his flustered state.

"That's always how it is when you meet your mate. When I first saw Cam I fell to my knees the feeling was so powerful. But you've got to make him feel the same. The attraction should be there already, but you'll have to spend some time with him before you tell him."

"And if he rejects me? Mateo this isn't like telling Hunk or Pidge or Allura. I knew them for years before I told them, and even Shay had a few months to get to know me before she found out. I have two weeks, at most, before I need more blood."

Mateo exhaled, nostrils flaring in frustration. He hooked his arm around Lance's shoulder, pulling his brother to his chest and resting his chin on top of his hair.

"Just take it slow. Let him get to know you first. Tell him when it feels right." Mateo advised, "You have time, baby brother. Everything will work itself out."

It was unbearably honest, like Mateo really believed it. Lance sighed, closing his eyes and letting his brother hold him tighter. Maybe he could have enough belief for the both of them.


	3. Chapter 3

The morning after his first day of college Keith woke with a thumping head ache and aching limbs. He'd spent most of the night downstairs in the basement, which Shiro had refurbished into a training room as soon as they’d moved in. Hour after hour he’d pummelled away, managing to punch through four training dummies before he finally traipsed to the bathroom, showering then collapsing into his bed at around 5am.

Less than three hours later he inhaled sharply, raising his face from the pillow as the harsh buzz of his alarm reached his ears. He groaned, slamming his fist down on his nightstand until the machine crashed to the floor, it’s metal parts rolling all over his carpet.

He glanced down, noticing he hadn't even bothered changing out of his towel before rolling into bed. He shivered as the crisp morning air pricked at his skin before tossing the towel away and reaching for his jeans. Pairing them with a patterned long sleeved shirt and his favorite grey beanie, he trudged downstairs for breakfast.

The kitchen was barren. Shiro started early at the garage, meaning Keith spent most mornings alone with his toast. He sat in silence, accompanied by the whir of the kitchen fan. His plate was discarded into the sink and then he was out the door, grabbing his helmet before slamming the wooden slab shut and tucking his keys into his pocket.

He smoothed his hands over his motorcycle, smiling down at the sleek machine. Shiro bought him the bike for his nineteenth birthday after his insurance check came through. It was Keith's most prized possession, next to the blade he'd gotten for his eighteenth.

It felt like coming home, sliding his leg over the pillion and lowering himself into the saddle. He pulled his helmet over his head and flipped the visor down before turning the key, feeling the engine purr to life between his legs. Backing out of the drive into the street, he weaved his way between the few cars lining the suburban road and plunged into the throngs of the early morning traffic, littered with dead-beats on their way to their nine-to-five jobs and students like him, gazing blearily out of buses and car windows.

It was a ten minute drive to campus on a bike, without the obstacle of traffic to deal with. He darted between other vehicles with ease, reaching the campus in record time and swinging up next to the coffee shop near the common. He glanced up at the sign as he pulled his helmet off, shaking his hair out and shifting his beanie back into place.

The structure was more modern looking than the rest of the campus, with glass walls and bright white lights suspended from the ceiling. There were only a few people dwelling inside, most tucked away in the back tables. He spotted Pidge's fluffy hair and Hunk's looming back on one of them, their hands clasped around coffee cups. Pidge was chewing on a muffin, crumbs dusting her lips as she mumbled something over the table.

And then there was Lance. He lounged back in his chair like he did with anything he sat on, limbs splayed over the back and legs crossed comfortably as he sipped at his coffee. His eyes traveled over the shop, fingers tapping against his mug as he surveyed the surroundings. Keith kept his eyes trained on the young man, until finally their gazes met.

Keith swallowed, strapping his helmet to his bike and pulling his bag from the holding beneath the seat, before stepping into the shop, hearing the bell attached to the door announce his arrival.

The moment Lance saw the motorcycle pull up he'd inhaled sharply, and dramatically grabbed hold of Hunk's arm. His friend turned to him sharply as Lance’s fingers dug trenches into his flesh, tugging his arm away.

"What the hell, man?" Hunk hissed.

"I'm gonna die. He's so hot it's gonna kill me." Lance whispered, tugging on Pidge and Hunk's sleeves to bring their attention to the bike outside.

"Holy shit, is that his bike?" Pidge’s eyes widened, "Damn, you’re so screwed."

"Be still my beating heart." Lance sighed, grabbing at his chest through his loose sweater. Pidge rolled her eyes, leaning forwards to rest her elbows on the table, thumbing at her mug.

"You know you're not the only one who's noticed how hot he is. Word is Suzy Johnson has her eye on him." Pidge sipped at her coffee sweetly.

"Suzy Johnson is a crack whore. And if the universe paired me with a guy who is human _and_ straight then it owes me big time."

Pidge rolled her eyes, "Just. Be. Cool. Don't freak him out with your dramatic shit." She sipped at her sugary coffee as Keith hopped off of the bike, lifting the helmet off his head and tossing his hair around like a freaking model. Lance exhaled slowly, eyes darting around to pointedly avoid Keith's gaze as he glanced up at the building. When their eyes clashed he watched Keith take a sharp breath, his lips parting in surprise. The bell pinged as Keith entered, looking deliciously dishevelled with his flushed cheeks and windswept hair secured beneath his beanie.

Keith approached the barista with a small smile, "Hi."

The lone barista blinked up at him, tossing his head up.

"Morning. What do you want?"

"Chai Latte with honey, please." Keith requested as he fished his wallet from his back pocket.

The barista raised a hand, "Don't worry. Katie already payed for yours."

Keith cocked his brow, "Katie?"

The barista nodded over towards Lance's table, and Pidge chuckling heartily over the brim of her mug.

"Pidge. She's my sister?”

"Oh. You're Matt?" Keith pondered, thinking that he really should have put that together. The barista and Pidge had the same frizzy, light brown hair and bright hazel eyes, as well as hauntingly identical grins.

"The one and only." Matt smirked.

"Are you a student here?"

"I'm a grad student," Matt nodded, "I'm doing a PhD in Bioinformatics."

"So you're both geniuses then." Keith muttered, glancing at Pidge.

Matt laughed, throwing his head back, "I guess," He grinned, "How're you settling in?"

Keith shrugged as Matt trudged over to the coffee machine, beginning to steam the milk for his coffee.

"It's okay."

"Nobody given you any trouble?" Matt blinked up from the machine.

Keith swallowed, glancing down at the bar, "Not really. Everyone's been nice."

He turned his head up to the side when a shadow fell over him on the bar, meeting dazzling blue eyes, staring down at him potently. Keith flinched, blinking back down at the floor.

"Morning, mullet." Lance gave him a lopsided grin.

Keith's nose wrinkled in distaste and he glared up at Lance.

"If you're talking about my hair, it just grows like this." He growled, noticing a smirk slipping onto Matt's lips as he pumped vanilla into Keith's cup.

"I'm not making fun of you. It's cute." Lance leaned further down against the bar top so he could watch Keith blush. He was easily embarrassed, it seemed.

"Ignore him," Pidge scoffed as she made her way over to them with her empty cup, placing it on the surface of the bar, "He'll flirt with anything that has two legs and functioning genitals." Her mouth twitched, "Other than, y'know, kangaroos. Although, he's probably fucked up enough to go for animals, too."

"Cállate, Pidget." Lance scowled as his friend started to push him back towards the table.

"Yeah, yeah. Go take Keith to his seat." She huffed, giving him a final shove, "Don't worry Keith. He may be a slut but his heart's in the right place.

Matt handed Keith his latte with a smile, watching as Lance and Keith trod over to the table.

"Lance's newest obsession?" Matt supposed, grabbing Pidge's empty cup and starting to wash it.

Pidge smirked, leaning against the bar and cupping her chin, "Nope," She conceded, popping her lips on the 'p', "This is _the_ Keith. Lance's soulmate?"

Matt's mouth fell open and his head spun round to look back at Keith, sat across from Lance a sipping silently at his latte, observing his surroundings with a keen eye.

"No way. Lance's mate is _human?"_

"Yup." Pidge nodded as Matt began preparing her another americano, "Lance is freaking out. I feel bad for him." She sighed.

"That sucks for him." Matt said solemnly, "Give him my condolences."

He passed Pidge her coffee, flinging his towel over his shoulder and following his sister as she retreated to the table where Hunk and Keith were talking lightly, Lance listening on in silence. It disturbed Matt a little, seeing his friend that wad so usually full of life look so serious.

"How were your first classes? Iverson didn't give you any shit, did he?" Hunk asked.

Keith shrugged, licking foam from his lips with a pink tongue, "They were fine. And no, he mostly ignored me."

Pidge snorted, "That’s a lie. He asked you like a bazillion questions. And you _nailed_ every single one of them; I thought his head was gonna explode."

Lance nodded, "Usually only I can get him that angry." He smirked, "I'm impressed."

"Oh, right, Katie mentioned you skipped a year. It’s impressive, most of the overachievers I’ve seen crack under the pressure."

Keith's fingers clenched around the handle of his cup and he placed it on the table, folding his hands on his stomach.

"It’s not that impressive - I’m the same age as everyone else. I dropped out of high school in my final year. I had to make it up in night classes. Apparently my professors thought I was good enough to take the entrance exam for second year." He shrugged, "I guess I passed.

Lance huffed a laugh, shaking his head as he swallowed a mouthful of coffee, "You're unbelievable."

"So why'd you drop out?" Pidge leaned curiously forwards, tapping her nails against the ceramic material of her mug.

"My brother." Keith said coolly, leaning back in his chair, "He got hurt due to a... work accident. He lost his job because of it, so I dropped out to work and pay his medical bills."

The others fell silent, as Pidge rubbed her neck sheepishly. Lance just gazed at Keith, sinking lower in his chair and cocking his head sympathetically.

"Hey, I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean to bring that shit up." Matt grimaced.

"It's alright, really. We're doing okay now. He opened up a mechanic shop not far from here and it seems to be going well." He shrugged, swallowing the final sip of froth from his cup.

"I'm... sorry." Lance said solemnly, expressively, "That must have been difficult."

Keith blinked up at him, nodding hesitantly, "Thank you."

Lance shrugged, raising his hands up over his head, "If it's any consolation, you're really smart. You already seem to be way ahead than the rest of us."

For a second Keith was almost carried away by the sympathetic, reassuring tone of Lance's voice. He even cracked a smile without any hesitancy. But he quickly reminded himself of why he was there - because of what Lance really was. He was probably aching to dig his teeth into Keith's neck. The thought made him shiver.

And he wasn’t wrong. Lance could smell and hear Keith's blood, like an incessant reminder of what he couldn't and probably wouldn't ever have.

At the sound of the college bell both of their heads turned. With a heady sigh they placed their mugs back on the table, raising out of their seats along with the rest of the group. Matt waved goodbye, heading back between the counter to his station.

"Anytime you get a craving for caffeine, swing on by. I'll give you a discount." Matt winked at Keith as he lifted up a new mug to clean, receiving a thankful nod before Keith left along with the others.

"What you got first?" Lance sidled up to Keith, tucking his hands in his pockets.

"I have two hours in art." He said dryly, avoiding Lance's arm threatening to brush his own.

"Cool." Lance nodded, "You know where to go?"

"I'll figure it out." Keith huffed, shoving his fingers into his jeans, "But thanks."

He parted from the group towards the north block, honing his shoulders in against the cold. Without the adrenaline of being on his bike he found himself much chillier in the autumn wind, that’d stolen the green away from the world and replaced it with faded reds.

Using the artfully decorated map Allura had granted him, Keith quickly found his way back to the art room. Shay was there once again- Keith was beginning to wonder if she ever left.

"Hey, Keith." Her smile was bright as ever as he pulled a stool up besides her, placing his book on the easel.

"Hey." He greeted her, pulling out his pencils.

"Oh. You're actually going to draw, today?" She smirked.

"Maybe." His lips curled playfully, "I got some inspiration last night."

She smiled at him, turning back to her painting with a peaceful expression. So far, Keith found Shay the most likable of his newfound friends. There was trust behind her golden flecked eyes, and in many ways she reminded him of his mother.

He wondered if she knew about Lance, if Keith's intuition was correct, and he truly was a vampire. She seemed so gentle. Everyone seemed so close to Lance, he couldn't tell who was the closest, but there was clear history between him and his group of friends. He wouldn't be surprised if they knew, but even so, he couldn't imagine dragging them all into this. It felt wrong.

"Heya. You're the new kid, right?"

Keith blinked up from his page, where an angry black dot had been imprinted by the force of his pencil stabbing into the paper during his reverie. He found a blonde girl with her roots showing grinning down at him, the metallic tone of her hair making him wince as the classroom lights bounced off of it. Her lips were smeared with red lipstick and her face was paler than her neck from mismatched foundation.

"Yeah..." Keith said slowly, dragging his eyes up and down her scantily clad body. He suppressed the urge to wrinkle his nose at the short skirt and tight tank top, displaying her unnaturally large boobs.

"I'm Suzy." She outstretched her hand and cocked her hip, clearly mistaking his staring for lust. Keith took it in his own, loosely shaking it before turning back to his art.

"Do you need a tour? I can show you around if you want." She offered, leaning against his workstation. His eyes twitched, and he lifted his pencil again.

"I've already been shown around, thanks." He said politely, resisting the need to sigh when she continued speaking.

"Awe, that's too bad. You're pretty cute, I was hoping we could get to know each other better." She pouted, sticking out her glossy bottom lip. He sighed raggedly, glancing up at her dryly.

"You're not my type."

He could see Shay glancing over between strokes of her brush, ready to step in if she needed to. Suzy leaned back with a frown, crossing her arms, making her chest bulge even further. Keith looked away uncomfortably.

"What, are you into small tits or something?" She drawled, tossing her hair back. A strand landed on Keith's page, and he flicked it away with a scowl. He gazed up at her, watching her blink in surprise at his suddenly fierce appearance.

"No, I’m into dick."

Shay poorly concealed her amused snort with her palm as Suzy sprung up, scowling haughtily down at Keith.

"Fucking gross."

Keith rolled his eyes, leaning back down to his sketchbook and recommencing his drawing. Shay wiped her brush down with a grin, grabbing a smaller one, sprinkling stars all over her canvas.

"That was great." She breathed, holding in her laughter in the quiet room. Beneath the table she typed on her phone, unbeknownst to Keith.

"Thanks." He said simply, flicking his pencil across the page.

She hummed, relaxing back in her seat and continuing with her new painting. Glancing across, Keith surveyed an intricate image of the milky way. The colors spiraled together beautifully, dots of white and silver creating perfect stars among the yellow and purple swirls.

"You missed a star." Keith mumbled without even meaning to, sinking back in his chair sheepishly as Shay glanced at him.

"Oh really? Can you show me where?" She leaned back, allowing Keith to point on the canvas.

"A big one, right there."

"Hm. Thanks." She smiled, beginning a new star towards the bottom of the canvas, "You sure know a lot about stars, huh?"

He nodded, "I like astronomy. And Astrophysics is 99% space, so." He shrugged.

"Lance is the same," She pondered, "He still has his first telescope, according to Hunk."

Keith raised his head slowly, "Have you known him a while?"

"I met him through Hunk. We've been friends ever since." Shay smiled, swirling her brush around in glittering white paint.

"Has he ever seemed... strange, to you?"

Shay snorted, "Well, duh. Lance is a dork most of the time. But he's a total sweetheart, no matter how weird he gets."

Keith hummed in understanding. He and Shay continued to paint in relaxed silence, only the sound of scratching pencils and the occasional mumble from their classmates or Coran to accompany their breath in the air.

Soon enough the first hour had passed, and second period began. Keith reached into his pocket to withdraw his earbuds, sticking them into his ears and re-immersing himself in his painting. His hand was steadier than ever as he slowly dragged his brush over the page, smiling to himself as the watercolors blossomed and leaked over the thick paper. Shay was a comfortable presence at his side, a warm body to accompany him as he drifted.

"Nice drawing, mullet."

Keith released a muffled shriek, his earbuds falling out and his brush tumbling towards the floor as he flung around to the tall Cuban looming over him. Lance had whispered directly into his ear, sending a chill through him he felt for several moments after. He swiftly scooped Keith’s brush up mid-air, placing it on his easel

"What the hell, Lance? You almost fucked it up." Shay scolded him.

"I have a free, so I came to see you, Shay-bear." Lance pouted, circling his arms around her shoulders. She rolled her eyes, turning back to her easel.

"Fine, but leave Keith alone. He was in the zone until you turned up." She scowled, though there was no real frustration to it.

Lance took his seat behind them both, leaning against the front of his stool as he gazed over Keith's shoulder. Keith could feel his breath rolling over his shoulder onto his neck the whole time he painted, and it was endlessly distracting.

He placed his brush back down, glarling over his shoulder at the smirking Cuban behind him.

"Can you stop?" He growled.

"Sure, if you'll go out with me this week?"

Keith froze, and Lance continued to grin.

"G-Go _out_ with you?"

Lance balanced his chin in his palm, smiling sweetly.

"How do you even know I'm gay?" Keith spluttered.

Lance rolled his eyes, glancing monetarily to the smirking Shay, who’d texted him only ten minutes early about Keith’s debacle with Suzy.

He fell back in his chair, "Call it intuition."

"Or a really good gaydar." Keith mumbled, despite the amused smile threatening to spill onto his face.

"So? Go out with me Friday night? I promise to make it worth your while." Lance batted his eyelashes the best he could, and Keith rolled his eyes.

"I'm busy..." Keith mumbled, watching Lance visibly deflate.

He sighed, turning back to Lance openly, "...but I'm free Saturday?"

Lance grinned wider than Keith had ever seen a person grin, bopping Keith affectionately on the nose before stepping off his stool.

"Saturday it is. I'll pick you up at seven, mullet."

Keith rolled his eyes exasperatedly as Lance backed out of the room, shooting him a pair of finger guns before disappearing down the hallway. Shay smirked between them, whistling a light tune as she turned back to her easel.

"Shut up." Keith grumbled, and she laughed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: **Violence** and **Minor Character Death** (Sounds like one hell of a date)

"You called Enrique?"

"Yes, mami."

"Did you shower?"

 _"Yes,_ mami."

"What about the food? Did you freeze-"

 _"Mami."_ Lance sighed, cupping his mother's cheeks affectionately, ceasing her fussing, "Everything is going to be fine." He lamented.

"I know, I know." She sighed, patting his hand, "I just want it to be perfect for you."

"It's a date, mom. It's not like I'm losing my virginity." He chuckled, receiving a dry look.

"Please, mijo, I know _that_ happened years ago. But this is even more special." His mother brushed her thumb over his cheek.

"Which is why I planned everything perfectly. He's going to love it, I promise." Lance assured her, "Now can you _please_ let me go? I’m gonna be late picking him up." He pleaded, pulling his mother's hands away from him and ducking under the small frame of the door into the living room. Veronica and Luis were draped over the couch, a bowl of popcorn balanced on his sisters stomach. She wolf whistled as he entered.

 _"Damn,_ hermano. You look hot." She approved. Lance rolled his eye as her as he straightened out the sleeves of his father's patterned shirt, tucked neatly into his newly ironed jeans, courtesy of his mother.

"If he doesn't bleed from his nose instantly then he's definitely not your soulmate." Luis nodded in agreement, "What does this guy look like anyway?"

"You watch too much anime. And none of your business, hermanito." Lance flicked his brother's forehead.

"Awe, he's blushing." Veronica swooned, cupping her cheeks, "Don't worry, Lance. He'll fall for you in no time."

"Thanks, Ronnie." Lance said roughly, his tone dry.

"But seriously, won’t you even tell us his hair color? Skin tone? Foot size?" She prodded his hip insistently.

"No." Lance deadpanned.

"Why?" She whined.

He blinked at her humorously, "Cause you'll look him up and stalk him online. I don't want either of you _pendejos_ messing this up." He glanced between his siblings pointedly.

Luis just continued tapping away at his phone, while Ronnie pouted, turning the volume on the TV behind Lance higher.

"Fine, then can you move? You're blocking Steven Universe."

Lance rolled his eyes, falling onto the couch besides his sister, pinching at her slim, golden arm. She squeaked, digging her nail into his bicep cunningly. The two continued to play fight until Luis tapped Veronica on the shoulder, lifting his phone to her face.

"Found him."

She grinned, snatching the phone, "What took so long?"

"He has basically no social media. All I found is a Facebook account he hasn't logged into for two years."

Lance glanced over Veronica's shoulder, mouth falling open as his eyes landed on the profile picture of said account.

"What the hell, I _just_ told you guys-!"

"Calm down, we just wanna see what he looks like." She pulled the phone away from his reach, scrolling inquisitively.

"Te odio." Lance grumbled, falling against the couch as Luis and Veronica delved into Keith's social life. He let his head fall against the back of the couch. He would be lying if he said he wasn't also curious.

"Who's this dude?" Veronica lifted the phone, displaying a photo that looked a few years old. Keith's face was younger and he was _smiling,_ stood next to a taller guy with a sliver of white in his hair.

"I don't know, probably his brother?"

"Or maybe a boyfriend?" Luis suggested, sending chills through Lance's bloodstream. If Keith had a boyfriend...

No, he shook his head to rid himself of the thought. Keith agreed to go on a date with him. He didn't seem like the type to cheat.

"I was joking, Lance, geez, don't get all depressed about it." Luis rubbed his arm, "He called the guy his brother in the caption, see?"

Seeing it in black and white helped calm him down a little, but still he huffed, pulling out the little piece of folded paper Keith had provided him with earlier from the confines of his pocket. Saturday had come all too soon, Lance pondered as he re-read the address scrawled on the paper for the hundredth time. He'd hardly seen Keith through the rest of the week. They only had Astrophysics two or three times, limiting how long Lance got to stare at him. Like a sane person.

But he felt his body becoming restless. Before meeting Keith he was drinking over twice or three times a week. Now all he could do was bide his time and energy until he told him the truth, and either got rejected or got to drink again.

"I've got to say, Lance, he's pretty cute." Veronica gave him a thumbs up, "Way out of your league."

"Give that here." He scowled, grabbing the phone from his brother and shoving it into his pocket, "You'll get this back later."

Luis just huffed, sinking further into the couch adamantly. Lance felt a little guilty for a second - Luis was frail, he could barely hold himself up on his own legs and spent most of his time in bed or on the couch. His phone and books were all he had to keep himself busy.

"Lance?" Veronica called from the couch through a mouthful of popcorn, "It's almost seven, you should get your ass into your car."

Lance glanced in the hallway mirror, smoothing down his clothes a final time and running a hand through his hair, still as scruffy and soft as ever, before turning to his mother waiting patiently by the door.

She smiled proudly, brushing his hair from his face and kissing his cheek.

"You know your father wishes he could be here, but-"

"It's fine, mom." He vowed, squeezing her hand, "Give him my love when he gets home."

"Of course." She nodded, hair bouncing, "You can tell him all about it tomorrow, okay? He has the day off and he'll want to know everything."

Lance smiled, softly nodding in agreement.

"I'm scared, mami." He sighed.

She cocked her head sympathetically.

"I know, mijo. But like you said, everything will be fine. You're a good boy, Lance, he's lucky to have you."

He exhaled and embraced his petite mother, resting his cheek on the top of her head. She was so soft and comforting he felt his brief panic ebbing away, determination settling instead, instilling itself in his heart.

"Now go, or you'll be late." Rosa ordered once they pulled away, opening the door for him.

Lance called goodbye to his siblings over his shoulder, lifting his keys from the designated hook next to the door. He gave his mother a final kiss on the cheek before letting the door slam shut behind him.

There was a beat of solemn, hopeful silence in the house, before Luis cleared his throat.

"He had a button undone."

Veronica barked, spewing popcorn everywhere.

———————❖———————

Keith was preparing in a much different way, to say the least.

"You got everything you need?" Shiro asked a final time.

"Yup." Keith replied, tucking his favourite blade in the hem of his jeans. He had a gun loaded with silver bullets in his boot, too, and a slim stake in his back pocket. He fiddled with the ends of his sweater, mouth twitching as he pondered ripping it off completely. He felt silly, dressing up for a date he’d have to kill.

But it felt nice, pretending to be normal. If he tried hard enough he could imagine that this way just a normal date, that Lance was just a normal boy and so was he. Over the week he'd even found himself getting excited. But then the creeping reminder of his duty would blow out the flame of enthusiasm before it even had the chance to become hot.

He loosened the black scarf wrapped around his neck, though it still didn't help him exhale with ease. He couldn't remember ever being this nervous for a job before. Lance wasn't particularly dangerous or a threat to anyone. But that was the problem - he was _Lance._ He wasn't some vamp with a kill count and no name. Keith wasn't even sure if Lance had ever killed anybody. But deep down, he knew it was in his nature to want to. Because Lance _wasn't_ just some boy, and neither was he. They were a vampire and a hunter. Chalk and cheese.

Shiro sighed. He was leant forwards in one of their flimsy dining room chairs, watching Keith with endless patience and concern. It was usually comforting, but all Keith really wanted in that moment was to be alone.

"I wish I could go with you." Shiro mumbled, face distorted by the steam from his coffee mug. Keith shuffled to his side, pulling his head tightly into his chest for a brief moment.

"It'll be fine. This is what I'm trained to do." He assured Shiro, releasing him from his grasp.

"I don't like you having blood on your hands." Shiro grumbled.

Keith rolled his eyes, "Well suck it up. I'm a hunter, it's bound to happen sometimes. This isn't my first kill, you know?"

"I know, I know," Shiro waved his hand dismissively, "Just be careful. This vamp is strange. He could be part of a clan."

"Maybe," Keith shrugged, "If he is we'll take it down."

Shiro smirked, "Since when were you so ruthless?"

Keith sighed, "I'm just doing my job."

Shiro nodded, sipping at his coffee. The familiar aroma filled the kitchen and warmed Keith's lungs despite the chilly night air seeping in through the window. Both brothers turned their attention to it when the sound of a rumbling car engine approached. They held their breath, expecting it to rumble to a stop outside their house. But it purred past, and they exhaled.

"What's the plan, anyway?" Shiro inquired once the engine was out of earshot.

Keith shrugged, "I'll try and get him alone. It shouldn't be too difficult since it's a date."

"What if you can't get him alone?"

"Then we'll have to try a different tactic." Keith said firmly, "I won't risk getting others involved with this."

Shiro gave him a small smile. His gaze snapped to the window as another car approached, the hum of the engine becoming deeper as it slowed, until it was stationary at the foot of their driveway. The brothers glanced at each other, before Shiro rose from his seat.

Keith sighed as his brother pulled him into a firm hug. He wrapped his arms under his armpits, burying his nose against Shiro's chest and tangling his hands into the soft cotton of his shirt. The smell of their laundry power empowered him and he pulled away, shifting his scarf back into place before proceeding towards the front door.

Lance was rested comfortably against his car, gazing up at the dark evening sky with his hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans. Suddenly Keith was glad he decided to dress up. Lance had clearly put effort into his appearance, his scruffy hair a little more tame than usual and the shirt tucked into his jeans absent of any creases or ripples. The pattern was pretty, dark blue in colour with white outlines of planets and stars threaded into the fabric.

"Nice car..." Keith murmured to himself as Shiro shouldered past him towards the boy stationed outside his car. Lance caught sight of the large man headed towards him and visibly stilled, lifting his back from his car to stand up straight.

Keith rolled his eyes as the two men went toe to toe, Shiro folding his arms as he glared down at Lance.

"You're Lance?"

Lance nodded firmly, "Yes, sir."

"I suppose I don't need to tell you where your balls will end up if he gets hurt?" Shiro said. Lance laughed a little.

"You have nothing to worry about. He'll be home before midnight." Lance assured Shiro. He was a little intimidated, he could admit that much, but he'd had talks with plenty of his previous partner's fathers and brothers before this. He considered himself somewhat of an expert.

"Shiro. Are we allowed to go, now?"

The two men blinked around to Keith, who was stood on the lawn with his arms folded impatiently and a bored expression on his face. Turning momentarily back to Lance, giving him a final once-over, Shiro nodded, stepping back.

Lance smiled, going round to the other side of the car to open the door for Keith. As soon as he was out of earshot Shiro grabbed onto Keith's forearm, halting him as he stepped towards the car, off the lawn and onto the pavement.

"He's strong." Shiro whispered into his ear, "Be careful."

Keith nodded, keeping his gaze locked ahead of him as Shiro squeezed his arm, before finally releasing him. Keith swallowed thickly and moved behind the car to where Lance stood holding the door open for him. The top was down so Keith slipped easily into the leather seat, his jeans sliding against the smooth texture.

"Thanks..." He mumbled as Lance slammed the door shut, hopping into the seat next to Keith without even opening the door. He slid his gaze down Keith's torso and legs appreciatively once Keith had turned his attention from outside the car. His sweater, embellished with linear patterns of black white and brown, hugged his upper half perfectly, the belt cinching his jeans to his hips highlighting the strong body underneath. Lance smiled as Keith buried his nose into the scarf around his neck, using his fingers to pull it up around his mouth like a muzzle against the cold.

"Want my coat?" Lance offered, picking the black garment off of the back seat. He'd brought it only as a precaution- he didn't really get cold- but this was a far better use for it.

Keith mumbled his thanks as he pulled it over his shoulders, tucking his arms into the holes. Lance smiled at the sight, fisting his hands around the wheel and turning the car back on. He exhaled at the sound, pulling away from the curb into the cool breeze of the night.

They weren't going too fast, sticking to the peaceful domestic streets rather than the main road or highway, meaning Keith could hear the melody of the radio, and Lance humming along.

"So," Lance begun, "Your brother seems nice."

Keith huffed a laugh at the dripping sarcasm of the sentence, turning to Lance with a smirk.

"Did you shit yourself?"

"Almost."

They snorted in unison as Keith turned his attention back to the silent night road. He noticed they were headed away from the city center, into the tranquil cul-de-sacs in the south.

"Where are we going, anyway?"

Lance turned to him with a smile, "I'm gonna show you the best spot in the city."

Keith gave him a cryptic eyebrow raise, but nodded anyway. The songs ebbing from the radio were in Spanish but Lance seemed to know them like the back of his hand, humming along to each and every one of the melodies that played. Keith bopped his head along and immersed himself in the music for a while. It was peaceful, consisting of mostly guitar and soft vocals.

"You have a pretty nice car..." Keith mumbled offhandedly.

"Thanks," Lance beamed, "It was my grandpapi's."

Keith furrowed his brow and turned to look at Lance, finding the other man smiling nostalgically at the road ahead, rubbing his hands across the wheel.

"You have a family?"

Lance snorted, "Well, duh."

Keith swallowed, fiddling with the hem of Lance's coat, "Is your whole family Latino?" He asked as they turned into a road and began driving a little slower, the wind whipping past a little slower so he could talk at a normal volume.

Lance nodded, "Yup. My mom and dad are Cuban, and my sister and brother in law are Venezuelan and Dominican."

"You have siblings?"

"Four of them." Lance turned to him with a smile, "Two sisters and two brothers. I have a younger and older one of each."

"Woah." Keith's head fell back in surprise, "You have a pretty big family."

"You're surprised? It's a common fact that McClains can't keep it in their pants."

The corners of Keith's lips upturned a little but the rest of his face remained stoic and puzzled. He and Shiro had suspected Lance was part of a clan, but a whole _family_ of vampires? That was far, far worse. If he killed Lance he'd have another twenty vampires on his tail at least.

"What about you? Is it just you and your brother?"

"Yup." Keith popped the 'p', resting his elbow on the window pane and balancing his chin in his palm.

"I guess that's why he's so protective, huh?" Lance supposed, receiving a non-committing shrug in return.

"Probably."

They slipped into silence again, the car turning into a stretch of road sheltered by trees. Keith spotted the sign at the entrance, turning to Lance quizzically as Lance swung up into a layby full of cars and chattering groups all around their age. Keith gave him a puzzled look as he stopped the car, stepping around to Keith's door and reaching out his hand.

"The park?"

"Just trust me. I promised to make this worth your while, right?" Lance grinned as he helped Keith out of the car and into the small crowd gathered under the streetlamps, seated on benches and on the grass. Lance led Keith towards a truck parked to the side, luckily barren of any queue and emitting a delectable smell.

"Yo, Diego." Lance clapped his hand together with his friend’s, who hovered over them from the food truck.

"Lance, where have you been, man?" Diego grinned, clapping Lance on the back before turning to fish around in the oven behind him.

"Been busy with class - you got two Barbacoas?"

Diego turned his gaze to Keith for a moment with a smirk, lifting two tacos onto the counter, wrapped in greasy paper.

"This your date?" Diego nodded towards Keith, who froze on the spot.

"Yeah but he's shy, alright, so don't freak him out." Lance ordered Diego as his fished his wallet from his pocket.

"No problem, man. And they're on the house." Diego waved Lance's money away, dusting off his latex gloves.

Lance beamed, "Thanks."

"Anything for a McClain. You tell your madre hey for me, a'ight?"

"Sure thing." Lance grinned at his friend, taking the tacos from the silver checkered counter and passing one to Keith. Keith gave Diego a small wave before following Lance away from the truck.

"Shay wasn't lying when she said you were charismatic." He mumbled as they traveled further into the park. The dusty path they followed stretched out into a clearing where the lake lay. On a sultry September night like the one now it lay flat as a rippling mirror, the moon turning the water into silver.

"I'm not, really. I only know Diego cause he went to college with my brother. Honestly, most people find me annoying." Lance rubbed his neck sheepishly.

"I don't find you annoying." Keith said honestly, receiving a small smile.

"Thanks."

Lance led Keith over the wooden bridge to the island in the center of the lake, sitting him down on a bench. It was canopied, meaning their every move echoed off the wooden slats above and behind them. Keith curled his shins underneath him, sitting cross-legged as he took the first bite of the still warm taco in his hand. Lance did too, keeping his gaze fixed on Keith as the other boy's eyes lit up in glee and he blinked at Lance.

"Good, right?" Lance beamed through his mouthful of beef and taco shell. Keith smiled, nodding as he went to take another bite. He watched Lance eat with curiosity - he had wondered if vampires were able to eat human food. Judging by the way Lance wolfed down the taco, a satisfied smile on his face, it seemed they could.

"Yeah." He glanced up at Lance's smiling face from beneath his lashes, "Thanks."

"In my opinion, until you've tried one of Diego's tacos, you haven't lived. So you're welcome."

Keith chuckled, spraying his lap with crumbs, causing Lance to double over in laughter. Keith kicked him with the heel of his boot, wiping the crumbs from his lap and around his mouth.

"You have some left." Lance smirked, lifting a napkin to Keith's bottom lip, dusting the crumbs off his mouth. Keith scowled at him, placing his taco on the bench and rubbing his hands to rid them of the excess.

"You're surprisingly awkward despite how hot you are." Lance grinned, skillfully avoiding the next outward thrust of Keith's leg. Keith retracted it slowly, giving Lance a warning look as he popped the final bit of his taco into his mouth. Keith finished his in the next few minutes, crunching the wrapper up in his fists and tossing it into the trash can beside the bench.

"It's pretty beautiful." Keith sighed, turning back to the glittering lake. Lance nodded along with him.

"During the day there are ducks. My siblings and I used to sit on this bench and feed them after school." Lance smiled fondly over the water, "Ronnie almost had her finger bitten off by a swan once."

Keith chuckled a little, "Your sister?"

"Yup. She's only few years younger than us, she'll turn 17 this year. Luis is my youngest sibling, he's 12. Then there's Mateo and Ana, who're both a little older than me. Mateo is 25 and Ana is 29."

"I feel bad for your mother." Keith mumbled, making Lance bark.

"She raised us well. My dad would scare the shit out of us whenever we were disobedient, so that kept us well-behaved most of the time." Lance grinned down at him, "What about you and your brother?"

Keith shrugged, "We do normal brother stuff, usually. Go to the movies, make dinner..."

_Kill people like you._

"...watch tv." He finished weakly, swallowing thickly.

"He sounds pretty cool."

Keith smiled softly, "He is. He's the best."

They fell into tranquil silence for a moment, just listening to the lap of water against the bank and the occasional flapping of wings. Keith turned to his date, watching the smooth side of his face. He was grinning slightly, like he had been all night.

"You know, I was expecting this to be way more cheesy and romantic." Keith admitted, "You seem to be into all that cliche stuff."

Lance chuckled, cocking his brow, "Would you prefer it if I were?"

Keith shrugged, falling against the back of the bench, "Not really. I like this."

Hearing a scuffle besides him, he turned to find Lance grabbing behind the bench, reaching through the criss-cross suspension and fumbling around in the bushes.

"What are you-?" Keith began.

He was quickly interrupted by the sound of a 'click' and a triumphant noise from Lance's lips, the trees on the island and all around the circumference of the lake becoming illuminated by strings of fairy lights, draped over the branches and leaves. They were even strung up above them on the canopy of the bench, right above Keith's head. His mouth parted in shock as the lake lit up, the lights resembling thousands of fireflies hovering around the water.

"Holy..." Keith breathed, seeing Lance smiling successfully out of the corner of his eye.

"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm totally cheesy and romantic." Lance admitted with a grin.

"How did you do all this?" Keith asked wide-eyed, flinging his head round to stare at Lance in disbelief.

Lance smiled radiantly, "My buddy Enrique works here. He helped me put them all up earlier."

Keith huffed a short laugh, gazing up and around the bench at the tiny flecks of light, then back to Lance. The soft lighting spun his caramel skin into gold, turning his bright blue eyes darker, from shallow whirlpools into deep oceans. The gentle expression he wore took Keith by surprise, even more so than the warmth he could feel on his cheeks.

"Why do you like me?"

Lance's head cocked to the side as Keith whispered the question to him inquisitively.

Keith swallowed, "I mean, shouldn't you be doing all of this for someone a little better than me?"

"Better than you?" Lance looked genuinely confused, "Keith, there's no one I've wanted to go out with more than you. You're smart and you're funny, and though your brother scares the shit out of me it's obvious how much you care about him."

Keith swallowed as Lance shifted closer to him, moving his palm so it covered Keith's hand placed on the bench.

"And you're beautiful." Lance added beneath his breath, hearing Keith inhale sharply.

He was hovering so close Keith could feel the warmth of his breath fanning over his face. He bit his bottom lip, leaning back so Lance was almost pressing him against the arm of the bench. His eyes were only half open and locked onto Lance's mouth as he reached up with a trembling hand, curling his fingers around Lance's neck.

"Keith..." Lance breathed, and Keith's eyes fully closed. He shuffled back a little further on the bench, blood running cold when the hilt of his blade dug into his lower back, startling him back into reality.

His eyes flew open and he shot up, jumping off of the bench and wrapping his arms around his torso. 

"Are you alright, I didn't scare you did I?" The concern lacing Lance's voice made Keith feel sick and he shook his head, twisting his fingers into the fabric of his jumper. What the hell was he doing? He was about to let Lance, let a _vampire_ kiss him.

"N-No, I just-" He jumped when his ring tone blared out of his back pocket, feeling his phone begin to vibrate in it's confines. He pulled it out, reading Shiro's name and feeling his heart stop beating altogether.

"Do you need to get that?"

Keith glanced up at Lance, at his hesitant gaze and his concerned brow, and wanted to hurl. He nodded shakily, answering the call.

"Y-Yeah. Just give me a minute." He mumbled bringing the phone to his pink cheek, "Shiro? What's up?"

He heard rustling and Shiro's panting breath before his brother whispered, _"I know you're busy, but I have a situation in the forest."_

Keith blinked over to Lance, seeing him pointedly not listening, staring down at his shoes with a twitching, unsure mouth.

"O-okay. I'll be there in a minute."

 _"Hurry."_ Were Shiro's last words before Keith hung up, shoving his phone back into his pocket and glancing towards Lance.

"It's Shiro, he needs me."

"That's fine. I figured it was about time to leave anyway.” Lance smiled wryly, "I'll drive you home."

"No, no, that's fine." Keith backed away as he stood up, "He's nearby. I should probably get going, though."

"Oh..." Lance trailed off, "Right. Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

Keith stared guiltily at his feet, sensing the sadness in Lance's voice. He shrugged Lance's coat off, stretching his hand out with his fingers clasped around the collar to hand it back to him. Lance took it from his grasp, noticing Keith flinch when their fingertips brushed

"Yeah. I'll see you then." Keith mumbled before hurrying back over the bridge, leaving Lance alone by the glowing bench. He refused to glance over his shoulder, his heart already beating wildly from a mix of adrenaline and fear. The forest was situated right behind the park. If he was quick, he could make it to Shiro in a matter of minutes.

Lance gazed after Keith as he ran from the lake, through the gate they'd entered through and towards the forest. He felt shitty for scaring him off, but his sudden departure left Lance fearful and confused. He walked away from the bench, shutting off the lights and darting over the bridge after Keith.

He furrowed his brow, spotting Keith rushing down the path towards the trees at the edge of the park. He tried swallowing his curiosity, but it proved too powerful as he soon realized he was following Keith, legs moving swiftly through the trees and grass. As a vampire he could clearly see ahead of him through the darkness, unlike Keith, who he noticed nearly stumble over the roots of a large oak as he reached the lining of trees that lead into the forest.

Keeping his footsteps light, Lance crouched low, darting into the woods after Keith, mind dizzy and perplexed. What were Keith and Shiro doing in the forest in the middle of the night?

Lance darted behind a tree when he noticed Keith slowing, reaching a clearing in the forest, dotted with specks of moonlight and floating particles of dust. Lance spotted Shiro emerging from the darkness, the brothers greeting each other with inaudible mumbles.

Lance's breath hitched when he saw them retrieve matching blades, coated in silver he could smell from over 50 yards away. They were talking, but even with his enhanced hearing Lance couldn't make out what they were saying, their words in an oriental foreign language he couldn't decipher. Keith nodded to his brother, baring the point of his blade out as a sudden rustle of leaves came from above them.

Lance slapped a hand over his mouth to suppress his shriek when a figure dropped down from the trees above Keith and Shiro, right in front of them, with it's form hunched and hands balancing it on the floor as it landed. Lance gagged, smelling the pungency of blood wafting from the silhouette. It was a female, judging by her long black hair draped like curtains over her face and small frame.

His eyes flashed with shock when she snarled, and he caught sight of the fangs glistening in her mouth. A vampire.

His heart hammered away in his rib cage as she grumbled Keith and Shiro's names, the syllables dripping like poison from her tongue.

"Are you alone?" Keith voice rang out clearly through the trees. Gone was the soft, sultry tone Lance was used to, replaced with something cunning that struck fear into his heart.

"I have been ever since you killed my sister." She glared up at them through her hair. Keith clenched his weapon tighter, gritting his teeth. Those hollow eyes were hauntingly similar to those of the vampire he'd drawn - he'd _killed_ only a few days earlier.

"Your sister was a murderer."

"She did what she had to." The girl hissed.

"And so did we." Shiro said solemnly. Lance felt his throat closing, threatening to retch and sending the contents of his stomach up and out of his mouth any second. Keith was talking to a vampire. He _knew_ about vampires.

The girl let out a furious cry and leaped forwards towards Shiro, her fangs and claws outstretched towards his neck. He grunted, shoving her back onto the floor and holding her down by her shoulders. She thrashed in his arms but couldn't compete with his strength.

"Keith."

Shiro called out to his brother standing above the girl. Keith brandished his blade without any shaking or hesitation. Lance shook his head, feeling wetness gathering in his eyes and collecting in the crevices of his palm covering his mouth. Keith straddled the girls stomach, pulling a thin piece of wood from his boot.

He lifted it up above his head in both hands, bringing it down moments later and striking her right in the heart. Lance shakily exhaled at a frequent speed into his palm, knowing his own chest was about to burst open if his heart didn't calm down.

The girl flailed a little before her limbs fell limp, crashing to the ground with a thump. Lance watched the life leave her, unable to tear his eyes away. Keith rose off of her body slowly, while Shiro released her lifeless arms.

Keith wordlessly crouched down next to her, lifting her wrist up into the light of the moon, breaking through the leaves and branches above him. Other than the glinting bracelet on her wrist, there was nothing there. Lance exhaled in relief. Thankfully she was nameless, otherwise there'd be another body soon enough for the police to find.

He watched on as Keith and Shiro wiped their blades down on raggedy cloths Shiro had tucked away in his bag, shoving them back into their pockets. He watched them mumble to each other again, and Shiro placed his hand on Keith's shoulder, squeezing the flesh there. He left first, retreating towards the exit of the forest. Lance hurried over to a tree further from the path, watching Shiro leave with glittering eyes.

When his gaze honed back in on Keith, he was stood in the same spot as before, gazing down at the girl lying dead on the floor. He leaned down and whispered something unintelligible to Lance down at her, closing her hollow eyes before following Shiro out of the forest. It seemed entirely too humane for a murderer.

As soon as they were out of his sight, Lance fell against the tree, slowly sinking to the ground, feeling the bark scraping against his back. He didn't count the minutes it took for him to calm down again, but he knew a lot of time had passed before he raised to his feet, turning around and finally throwing up, feeling himself become lighter in the process.

He swiftly left the forest, refusing to look behind him at the body on the floor. In a day or two the police would find her, and then what? Would Keith and Shiro be caught?

Lance didn't think so. They were well trained hunters. Watching them had been like watching a rehearsed play, their movements swift and practiced over a hundred times. It made him feel ill again just thinking about the precision in which Keith had taken a life.

Suddenly Keith being human didn't seem like such a big deal anymore.


	5. Chapter 5

Lance stumbled into his car within minutes of leaving the park. He felt dizzy, like at any moment his knees would give out and he'd crash to the ground in front of all the remaining young men and women dwindling around the grass.

Once he was buckled in, he sat in the front seat of his car in shock, hands glued to the wheel despite the engine not even being on. When he finally began driving, his movements were jerky and he almost took out three mailboxes before pulling up at his house, seeing the living room light still dimly filtering through the curtains.

How would he explain this to his family? He couldn't bear the thought of his mother's crushed face when she finds out that she's going to lose her son, that there's no chance of his mate ever reciprocating his feelings. What would he tell his siblings? His niece and nephew? He'd promised Luis everything would be okay, but now even his own faith was shot to pieces.

He felt his phone go off. Glancing at the screen, his gaze flickered over a message from Keith, asking him if he'd gotten home okay. Lance deleted their thread of messages, shoving his phone back into his pocket.

He dragged the coat Keith had handed back to him less than an hour ago from the passenger's seat, trudging up the driveway to his front door. He swallowed when he peered through the front window, seeing his mother and siblings, even Mateo, curled up together on the couch and armchairs, gazing at the flickering TV as they awaited his return.

He took a deep breath, pushing the door open. Soft mumbling sounded from the front room at the sound of its creaky hinges, and moments later his mother appeared in the door frame with Veronica right behind her. He watched as the excited flicker in their eyes dimmed, their gaze dragging down his slouched gait and red eyes.

His mother cleared her throat, turning to her youngest daughter, "Veronica, take Luis upstairs. I'll come tuck you both in soon."

Veronica nodded solemnly, tearing her concerned stare away from Lance's face to go collect her brother and lead him to his room. She grabbed onto Lance's hand as she passed him to the stairwell with her other on Luis' shoulder, squeezing both comfortingly.

Lance's hand didn't even twitch in return, his limbs feeling heavy and abounding. His mother led him into the living room, sitting him down on the couch. Mateo’s mouth parted in surprise as he caught sight of Lance, and his hunched, hopeless gait.

He leaned forwards with his elbows balanced on his knees, his gaze flickering to and from his brother with worry as Rosa boiled the kettle, placing a warm cup of cocoa in Lance's trembling hands. She must have thought it was because of the cold.

"Mijo." She murmured, falling into the squishy couch next to him, "What happened, cariño?"

She tutted as Lance's lip began to wobble again, pulling him to her chest and carding her fingers through his hair. He exhaled shakily into her shoulder, his own relaxing when Mateo approached him from behind, rubbing his hand up his back and squeezing firmly.

"I'm sorry, mami." Lance whispered into her hair, feeling her begin to tremble along with him. She pulled back giving him a teary yet fierce look, cupping his cheeks.

"What happened? Did you tell him?"

Lance shook his head, sniffing, "No he’s... he's a hunter."

Both Mateo and Rosa sucked in a breath, Rosa’s eyes going wide in shock as she slowly pulled Lance back into her chest. Mateo glanced towards her solemnly as his brother drearily told them what had happened, pausing to take large gulps of breath in between sentences. Rosa hushed him as he quivered in her arms, coddling him like any mother would.

"Dios mio..." His brother sighed once he'd finished recounting the events of the night.

"You're sure it was Keith?" His mother asked, rubbing his arm soothingly.

"It was definitely him. And his brother." Lance said mournfully.

Mateo bit him lip, locking eyes with Rosa as he asked, "Do you think he knows?"

Lance sighed ruggedly, shrugging as he fell back against the couch, "I'm not sure. He wears a silver ring... it burned me when we first shook hands, so maybe." He huffed, running his hand through his hair, "Jesus, how could I have missed the signs?"

"You had no way of knowing." His mother assured him.

Lance fell against her shoulder, shaking his head, "What am I gonna do?"

They all went quiet because, really, who knew the answer to that?

"Let's get Hunk and Pidge over here." His mother decided, "This calls for an emergency sleepover."

Rosa helped Lance haul the two spare mattresses reserved for his best friends from the closet, arranging them in the living room with Mateo's help. Lance changed into clean pajamas, tossing his jeans and shirt into a pile at the corner of his room. They held too many bad memories, now. He'd have to ask his mother to throw them out.

Hunk and Pidge arrived within minutes of Rosa's urgent phone call, hauling their bedding in with pink faces and taking turns to tightly hug Lance. Once they were all sat down Lance retold the story. They took the news with disbelief, Pidge's fingers brushing over her mouth in shock once Lance told them about the dead vampire still lying cold in the middle of the forest.

"Holy _shit."_ Hunk carded a hand through his hair, "This is not good. This is _really_ not good."

Pidge scowled, "Yeah, Hunk, no shit."

“What are you going to _do,_ man? Are you gonna confront him?” Hunk blabbered.

”I don’t know, Hunk.” Lance answered quietly, “I don’t know.”

He was unable to sleep. After a few movies Pidge and Hunk passed out on their mattresses, leaving Lance alone with the images that were seared into the back of his brain. They flashed in front of him every time he closed his eyes like spots of light, leaving his body restless and his heart aching. Each flicker of Keith stabbing that girl, and her thrashing body, made him sit bolt upright. In the end, he spent the few remaining hours of the night curled up on the couch, staring ahead of him mournfully.

He wasted all of the next day in bed. Not sleeping, just glaring blankly at the ceiling. Pidge and Hunk tried their best to stir him, but it was as if boulders had been chained to his feet. Eventually, by the time dinner came, Rosa encouraged them to return home and get some sleep before school the next day. She stayed with Lance all through the night, her presence allowing him four or five hours of sleep, before he was shocked awake by a nightmare.

Rosa dragged him into the shower, forcing him to wash before making him breakfast at five in the morning. Her tired eyes and slow moving pace did nothing to ease the weight in Lance's heart. He mumbled apologies again and again, but she dismissed him every time.

By the time Hunk arrived for his regular lift for school, Lance was baggy eyed and his skin was more pallid than ever. Hunk sighed, taking the keys from Lance's grasp and shoving him into the passenger's seat.

"I'll drive. You look like shit, and I don't wanna die before I've had my coffee."

Lance grunted in response, leaning his arm against the window and using it as a cushion for his head. He was about to pass out, the sun feeling especially harsh on his eyes that morning. Hunk offered him a pair of sunglasses, which Lance slipped onto his face gratefully.

"Better you look hungover than heartbroken." Hunk patted his leg sympathetically.

"I have astrophysics first. He's gonna be there." Lance grumbled, "What the hell am I gonna do?"

Hunk glanced at him worriedly, "Just... forget he's even there. You've got Pidge in that class too, right?"

Lance exhaled, fogging up the window with his downhearted breath as Hunk pulled up in front of the cafe. Pidge was waiting outside, holding all their coffee's in to-go cups in front of the door.

"C'mon, princess." She hauled Lance out of the car, "Drink some caffeine and pull yourself together. We're gonna be late." She shoved his cup into his hand, linking her arm through his, waving goodbye to Hunk as he headed in the opposite direction to the engineering building.

"Stand up straight and take those sunglasses off, dummy. We're inside." Pidge rolled her eyes once they entered the main building, "You've gotta make Keith see what he's missing."

Lance sighed, taking a long, slow drag from his coffee cup. Pidge led him through the halls, supplying enough confidence for them both and glaring at anyone who dared look towards Lance with their perplexed stares.

"I appreciate this, Pidget, but I'm alright, really." He sighed as they rounded another corner.

She glanced up and down his haggard frame with a cocked brow, "Sure you are, sweetie."

The next turn they took caused them both to freeze. Keith was stood at the other end of the hallway with Allura, the two exchanging words to each other softly with their bags slung over their shoulders. By chance Keith glanced to the side, meeting Lance's steely gaze. His eyes flashed with recognition and he left Allura's side with a wave goodbye, approaching Lance and Pidge wearing a small smile.

"Just walk past." Lance mumbled to Pidge as he dragged her forwards.

Keith opened his mouth once they were in ear shot, a greeting balanced on the tip of his tongue. He quickly swallowed it back, though, Lance's fierce glare deterring him from speaking. He gazed after the pair as Lance and Pidge shouldered past him to their classroom.

Lance squeezed his eyes shut to concentrate on keeping his legs moving, feeling himself physically ache from casting his soulmate aside. But he refused to turn around, letting Pidge haul him up the steps of the lecture room to his seat.

You did good, buddy." She patted his back as he exhaled shakily.

"There's no way I can keep this up for a whole hour." He sighed, "It _hurts,_ Pidge."

She cocked her head sympathetically, pressing her lips into a thin line as his phone buzzed. He huffed, already knowing who it was.

 _ **Blocked Number: 'I'm sorry for ditching you the other day.'**_  
_**Blocked Number: 'Are you mad?'**_

Lance ignored the message, turning his phone off and tossing it into his bag.

"Is that him?" Pidge rested her chin in her palm curiously.

"Yeah." Lance mumbled, tapping his fingers against the desk.

"You should reply." She suggested, "Maybe if you-"

They both stilled as Keith entered the classroom, trudging up the steps to his seat. He plopped down besides Lance in silence, lifting his books and stationary out of his bag and dropping them onto the table. The three of them sat in terse silence, but every few moments Lance could feel Keith's gaze flick over to him to intensely study the side of his face.

Lance huffed, pointedly avoiding his gaze and turning to Pidge, who scowled at him.

 _"Dude."_ She hissed, "Just talk to him. You can't ignore him for the next two years."

"Talk to him? Yeah, that'll go well." Lance scoffed under his breath, "Hey, Keith, you know those bloodsuckers you like to kill? Yeah well I'm one of them, and oh, even better, we're fucking _soulmates_ so you're gonna have to let me drink your blood for the rest of your life. That cool?"

Pidge slouched in her chair, "Well, maybe phrase it a _little_ different than that." She mumbled.

Iverson entered a moment later, and class began. With the stifling tension between Lance and Keith the hour seemed to drag on even slow than usual, the air around them becoming thicker and ticker with every passing second. Keith continued turning his gaze to Lance, and Lance continued to pointedly avoid it, sheilding his face by resting his cheek on his palm and wrapping his arm around his middle, hunching his back as if making himself smaller could make him disappear completely.

Having Keith so close made him feel sick. At one point he glanced to the side and locked his gaze onto Keith's hand, curled around his pencil which was stationary above his paper. He beat himself internally as he caught sight of the ring on his finger, tearing his gaze away. He couldn't shake the image of the stake clasped in those hands, a stake he'd driven into the heart of a vampire.

Did Keith know? Probably, if he was as skilled as Lance thought. If so, was he planning to kill him? Lance shuffled further towards Pidge at the thought, clenching and unclenching the fist clutched around his pen repeatedly as the minutes ticked by, keeping his gaze locked on the clock at the front of the class. He was torn between what his heart had been destined to feel and what previous, harrowing events had warned him. Keith was more dangerous than any vampire Lance could cross. He was ruthless and skilled in the art of murder, and it chilled him to the core just to think it.

How could this be the same boy who'd blushed when he'd asked him on a date, whose wide eyes had reflected the shimmering surface of the lake like a mirror when he'd seen the lights hung up in the trees? The same boy who just over a day earlier, had so delicately held Lance's neck as he'd leaned in to kiss him?

In a matter of minutes Keith had become a different person, a person that terrified Lance more than anything. How could this be the man he was fated to be with? It made him furious, so much that he felt his blood beginning to boil, every tap of Keith's pencil and snap of the clock hand making it fizzle and hiss. He was losing control again, but this time for an entirely different reason. Pidge's nails bit into his arm as she sensed his tenseness, but they did nothing to deter the slowly rising wrath inside of him.

When class finally ended Lance sprung up out of his seat, shaking Pidge's hand off his arm. He didn't even bother taking his bag as he stormed from the classroom.

"Lance, wait!" Pidge called after him, while Keith just stared at the door in shock. His gaze became steeled and he began to run after Lance, halted by a strong hand wrapping around his bicep, tugging him back.

"Keith, I really wouldn't." Pidge shook her head with gritted teeth.

"This is my fault, right?" 

Pidge glanced at the floor uncommittedly, mouth parting in surprise as Keith shrugged her off, continuing his pursuit of Lance, ignoring Pidge's calls of warning behind him.

He spotted Lance nearing the end of the hallway. He called his name and grabbed onto his forearm to stop him the moment he was close enough.

Lance winced, gazing at Keith furiously and yanking his arm away as the ring on Keith's middle finger burned his bare skin again.

"Sorry, I didn't mean-" Keith began, cut off by Lance lifting a pointer finger to quiet him.

"Just leave me alone." Lance growled, turning his back on the confused boy and storming through the door ahead of him into the next corridor. Keith huffed with frustration, shoving the door open and following him with determination.

Lance could hear Keith's vigorous footsteps behind him, gritting his teeth as he stomped through the halls, attempting to shrug him off. But Keith refused to lose sight of him, picking up his pace until finally they reached an old, empty corridor. The classes that used to be held there were either cut or moved to another building years ago. Barely anybody was seen there anymore other the occasional groups that met there to smoke between lectures.

Lance came to a stop, turning to Keith with his eyes ablaze.

It was then Keith realized he'd made a rookie mistake. Somehow he'd forgotten Lance was a vampire - a deadly beast - and allowed him to lure him somewhere without any bystanders. His breath caught in his throat and he took a step back, the ferocity of Lance's gaze sending a pang of fear through his chest. His hand hovered over his waist band where his blade was concealed.

However Lance noticed the movement of his hand, and scoffed.

"What? You think I'm gonna kill you?"

Keith gasped, finding himself pinned against the wall in the blink of an eye. Lance held him there with little trouble, his thigh pressed between his legs to keep him in place. In this position Keith's blade was irretrievable. Glancing up at Lance, Keith shuddered. Lance was glaring at him intensely, his hands clenched around Keith's waist. He couldn't move even if he wanted to, not a single muscle.

This was the strength Shiro had warned him about. He'd been such an idiot - Lance wasn't any different. He was as bloodthirsty and cunning as any other vampire. Keith had let himself be fooled by his front, and now he was going to die.

"What are you-"? He began innocently, wincing as Lance gripped his waist harder.

"Don't play stupid." Lance scowled, "There's no way you haven't figured it out. I've gotta say, the ring is a clever trick. You hunters are getting less stupid." He snarled.

Keith's breath caught in his throat and he swallowed the vibrato threatening to slip into his voice. But there was no hiding the trembling of his limbs.

"You're a-"

Lance leaned down so they were a breath's width from each other. Keith's eyes flashed - from anger or fear, Lance couldn’t tell - as Lance's blue orbs became overpowered by a piercing gold. He'd seen the spectacle a few times, but never had it taken his breath away quite like this. The final, human piece of Lance was gone, and the raw animal underneath had been revealed.

Keith panted in his arms, heart racing as Lance blinked and his eyes returned to normal.

"But you knew that already, didn't you?" Lance mumbled, lessening his grip on Keith's waist, though he still had little available movement. Anybody glancing up through the window would think they were sharing a loving embrace, with Lance so close to Keith, holding him against his chest and breathing into his ear.

"Tell me, when were you planning to kill me?” Lance asked, hearing Keith’s breath hitch, “Not at school, obviously, or you would've done it already." Lance cocked his head. Keith kept his gaze level, refusing to emit any signs of fear.

"On our date, maybe?" Lance suggested, and Keith froze.

The vampire smirked, shaking his head, "You really are a cold-hearted guy, aren't you? Were you gonna lure me into the woods? Drive a stake into my heart like you did to that girl?"

Keith inhaled sharply, eyes expanding to the size of saucers.

"Yeah, I saw that." Lance's expression darkened, "Are you and your brother a duo, or something? You must have some pretty fucked up camping trips."

Keith clenched his fists, pressing forwards so they were almost nose to nose.

"You talk a lot." He growled, "Are you gonna kill me, or not?"

To his surprise, Lance backed away, removing his thigh from his legs and letting his hands slip from his slim waist. Lance glared down at the floor like a kicked puppy as Keith straightened out his clothes, glancing at him warily as Lance backed away from him, giving him space.

"Despite what you may think, I'm not a murderer." Lance blinked up to Keith fiercely, "I'm not going to kill you."

Keith's mouth parted a little as he fumbled for a reply. Lance pinned him in place not with his arms, but with his gaze, leaving Keith boneless and unable to move from place.

"Those vamps you hunt? We call them the nameless. They're spiteful and kill for fun." Lance trudged to the entrance of the hallway, heaving the door open, hesitating before turning once more to Keith.

"We're not all like that. We aren’t all killers." He gave him a wounded, powerful stare, "Think about that next time you have a knife to someone's throat."

The door fell shut behind him, leaving Keith alone, his last words echoing around Keith's brain like the slam of the door down the barren hallway.


	6. Chapter 6

Keith was still reeling long after he arrived home. He received several worried queries from Shay during art, but he avoided each and every one, blaming his trembling and blurry vision on tiredness. He'd known Lance was a vampire. He'd known since the beginning. So why was he so shaken all of a sudden?

He'd stayed frozen in the hallway for several minutes before he'd remembered how to move his limbs again. He'd stumbled his way through the rest of the day, barely avoiding a road accident on his ride home. Falling against the front door, he exhaled softly, hearing voices from the kitchen.

"Keith?" Shiro called out questionably, "Is that you?"

"Y-Yeah!" Keith called, dumping his bag and shoes in the porch and padding through to the kitchen. He paused, catching sight of Allura at the kitchen island, her feet dangling off her stool. She smiled, fluttering a wave at him. Her blue dress gently floated in the breeze blowing through the open patio door, matching the blue headband keeping the loose strands of her braid from her face.

"Allura brought take out. You want some?" Shiro asked from the stove, dressed in a loose tank top and shorts, offering him a tub of chicken fried rice. Keith took it gratefully, swallowing a large hunk of chicken instantly.

"How is college going?" Allura asked, her mouthful of noodles, "I hope you're not finding the others too much trouble. They can be... rowdy." She chuckled.

Keith kept his gaze fixated to his tub of food, shrugging nonchalantly, "They're okay. College, friends; it's all good."

"I'm glad." She smiled, "I was worried you'd find it hard, since you've never been one to socialize. Though I'm sure Lance talks enough for both of you."

At the mention of the vampire's name Keith and Shiro froze. Allura didn't seem to notice, though, as at that moment her phone rang from her bag. She swallowed her food, frowning as she read the contact displayed.

"Excuse me, I have to take this." She smiled at them both before stepping out onto the patio, bringing her phone to her cheek once she was out of earshot.

Shiro turned to Keith, glancing down at him perceptively.

"Are you okay? You're shaking."

Keith curled into himself, refusing to look up, "I'm fine, it's just the breeze."

"Alright..." Shiro pursed his lips suspiciously, "How are things going with Lance? You didn't say much after we got home the other night."

Keith frowned, "I doubt most people would be that talkative after stabbing somebody in the heart."

Shiro swallowed, placing his carton of food onto the counter with a sigh.

"I thought you were okay with that? You told me-"

"I know what I said." Keith shifted uncomfortably, "I'm fine, really."

Shiro nodded slowly, lifting his chopsticks to his mouth again with hesitation, keeping his gaze locked on his brother. Keith squirmed under the scrutiny of his stare. It brought him back to that afternoon, when Lance had stared at him so similarly.

"You checked her wrist, right? Was there a name?"

Keith sighed, "No."

Shiro hummed while Keith paused, mouth pulled to the side contemplatively.

"Shiro, have you ever wondered why some of them have names and some don't?"

Shiro shrugged, gulping down a mouthful of water, "I mean, it's not like we get the chance to ask them. Usually they're trying to kill us."

Keith frowned. Shiro was mistaken- Keith _did_ have that chance. Lance wasn't trying to kill him. He'd left Keith in that hallway and turned his back, uncaring of whether Keith decided to stab his knife into it.

"Why? Does Lance have a name?" Shiro inquired.

Keith shrugged, "He wears a bracelet, so I'm not sure."

Shiro nodded slowly, "Well check, if you get the chance."

Keith agreed, and they fell back into silence, hearing Allura hastily returning from outside. She rushed in and grabbed her bag and keys, giving the two brothers an apologetic glance.

"I have to make an emergency house call." She said briefly, "Lance's little brother needs me."

Keith and Shiro froze, slack mouthed as Allura hurried to the door. 

"You're going to the McClain's?" Shiro stuttered.

"Yeah." Allura called out her breathless reply.

Shiro stared at Keith, mouthing at him furiously to do something.

Keith leaped from his chair, tossing his food onto the counter and rushing over to Allura.

"I'll go with you," He smiled shakily, toeing on his shoes, "Lance is my partner for a project. I need to talk to him."

She gave him a perplexed look but shrugged, "Sure, I'll meet you in the car."

Shiro grabbed Keith's shoulder as Allura hopped into her car, giving him an urgent look.

"Stay stafe - more importantly, look after her." He sighed ruggedly, "I had no idea Lance's brother was one of her patients."

"It'll be fine." Keith assured him.

"Yeah, well you'll be entering a nest, judging by the size of his family. You said he has four siblings?"

Keith nodded.

"Well be careful. Do what you have to do to protect yourself and Allura."

Keith swallowed, giving Shiro a final affirming nod before skipping down the steps to Allura's car. She gave him a small smile before starting the engine, waving goodbye to Shiro through her window before whisking Keith away.

Lance lived on the other side of town, giving Keith and Allura a little while to drive before they arrived. They stayed silent, like they usually did when it was just the two of them. Keith was glad his brother had managed to sustain his friendship with Allura, but knowing Allura's affiliation with Lance, he was more wary of her than ever. If she was treating Luis, then she could know the family's secret.

As they entered Lance's neighborhood, Keith could see why nobody would suspect a whole family of vampires to be residing there. It was bathed in sunlight and the houses were quaint and homely. They weren't all that large, but the landscape was beautiful, with several large ponds and several of acres of forest surrounding the two story homes.

Allura pulled up outside a house nearly identical to the others on the street, but Keith could tell it belonged to the McClains right away. Unlike the others, blooming flowers hung from hooks and window panes all across the house, all mariposas in different hues of pink, blue and white. While all other houses dwelling nearby were simple, this one ebbed homeliness, with a hoard of bikes chained to the side of the house behind an open side gate, and a play table and rocking chair on the porch.

All that, and the fact Lance's car was parked right out front.

Allura hopped out, opening her trunk and pulling her work equipment from a box underneath the mat. She traipsed up the driveway, rapping on the door, which trembled in its frame. Keith could hear a wide variety of voices from inside, the door swinging open to reveal a small, curvy Latina woman, holding a baby on her hip.

"Allura!" She exclaimed, kissing the girl's cheek gleefully, "Thank you for coming so soon."

Her voice was thickly accented, but her words came through clear. Keith could hear the havoc occurring in the house behind her, though the baby in the woman's hands was quietly resting his cheek on her shoulder, peacefully sucking on his thumb.

"It's no problem, Rosa." Allura smiled, and the woman turned to Keith. Her eyes weren't the same brilliant blue as Lance's, they were a warmer hazel, but they held the same dominance and alarmingly piercing pupils.

"And who is this?" She smiled.

"I'm a friend of Lance's." Keith tucked his fingers into his pockets, "Is he in? I need to talk to him."

"Ay, I'll call him through." Rosa replied, glancing over her shoulder, "Lance, tu amigo está aquí!" She bellowed.

Keith heard a muffled response from the back of the house in equally fluent Spanish. He waited with bated breath until moments later, when Lance emerged with a little boy on his shoulders. He was grinning, but it quickly dissipated when he caught sight of Keith.

"Allura!" The boy beamed as Lance let him down from his shoulders, grabbing a pair of crutches and passing them to him, keeping his gaze trained on Keith.

"Hi, Luis. Shall we go into the living room?" Allura smiled at the boy, who agreed with a toothy grin. She followed him through the door into the house, her hand hovering near his back as he hobbled through. Keith didn’t miss the way Luis’ eyes trained on him before Allura guided him away, glancing between Keith and Lance curiously. Keith’s gaze followed them till they were out of sight, before flicking up to find Lance was still glaring at him.

"Would you like to come in?" Rosa offered, stepping to the side. Lance stopped her with his hand, blocking Keith's entrance.

"It's fine, mami. _Keith_ and I can talk here." Lance growled through gritted teeth.

Rosa's mouth popped open, parted in surprise. She glanced at Keith in shock before nodding solemnly.

"A-Alright. Just call me through if you need anything."

Keith could sense she meant something else by her words, but then she was gone, retreating into the small kitchen behind her before he could say another word. He noticed her take the hand of a young girl with blonde hair, just as curly as her own, leading her away from the door.

"What the _fuck_ are you doing here." Lance seethed, stepping forwards, forcing Keith to take a few steps away from the door.

"Allura said she was coming here and I wanted to go with her, to..." He trailed off, swallowing thickly.

Lance looked at him dryly, "To make sure my family wouldn't eat her?"

Keith glanced away, hearing Lance scoff. When he blinked up Lance was scowling down at the floor, his arms folded and his foot tapping repeatedly against the concrete.

"Allura has been looking after my brother since he was little." Lance murmured, pain lacing his tone, "She's known our secret longer than anyone else. We wouldn't ever hurt her."

"A-Allura _knows?"_ Keith breathed in surprise.

Lance’s eyes flitted up to him sharply, "She's kept our secret for years. She's one of my mother's closest friends and Luis' doctor- you seriously think we'd _kill_ her?"

Keith inhaled and exhaled languidly, wrapping his arms around his middle protectively, "No." He mumbled.

"Then _why_ did you come here?" Lance asked, glaring at him poisonously.

Keith huffed, shaking his head bewilderingly.

"I don't think you're a murderer." He mumbled, and Lance blinked in surprise, "I believe you, okay? But I need to know more."

Lance fell against the door frame, giving Keith a suspicious glance up and down, before shrugging expectantly.

"What do you want to know?"

Keith nodded towards his wrist, "The names. What do they mean?"

Lance shuffled uncomfortably, glancing around before guiding Keith towards the bench in front of the house. He gestured for him to sit down, and Keith sat apprehensively next to him, crossing his legs. It occurred to him that only a few days before they'd been sat in these exact positions at the lake, where Lance had almost kissed him.

 _'Not now.'_ Keith thought with a blush.

"This is gonna sound a little crazy," Lance warned with a huff, "So just hear me out."

Keith's mouth twisted and he nodded, urging Lance to continue.

"The names... we get them between the age of 10 to 13. The name that appears is the name of our soulmate."

Keith blinked.

"Soulmate?"

Lance huffed haggardly, "Yeah. Before we meet our soulmate we can... _drink_ from anyone." He shuffled uncomfortably, "Usually it's a family member or another vampire. But once we meet our soul mate, their blood is all we can survive off of for the rest of our life."

Keith's mouth opened and closed repeatedly, reminding Lance of a blubbering goldfish. He smirked at Keith’s sudden lack of ability to speak.

"It's a lot, I know. Take a moment."

"D-Do you have one? A name?" Keith stuttered.

"Yes." Lance said plainly, rubbing his thumb over the leather bracelet tightly strapped around his wrist, hiding the name from sight.

"So what about those that don't?"

Lance winced, "They're... a little less controlled. Nameless vampires are spiteful and dangerous. Usually we don't like drinking from humans, unless their our mate. Your bodies can't withstand the power of a bite - too long and it'll easily kill you. Vamps without a name do it for fun. It’s like they all have a power complex, or something." Lance turned his gaze out at the road, across lawns strewn with families barbecuing and laughing, "But we aren't like them."

"So the vampires we've killed..."

"They're probably all nameless," Lance shrugged, "Without our mates we have no reason or means to live. If a vampire's mate dies, their name disappears from their wrist, and usually the other vampire dies too. Sometimes if they have a connection just as strong with someone else they will live, like if they have a kid, but only for a short time."

Lance sighed, "Luis lost his mate only a few days after he got her name. They hadn’t met so he lived, thankfully, but he’s weak because of it, so he survives off of my mother's blood, and occasional donations from the hospital Allura will bring for him. But he will probably need medical help his whole life."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't lie." Lance deadpanned, "You don't know my brother and you've probably hated my kind all your life. So don't say you're sorry when you don't mean it."

Keith's mouth snapped shut and he sighed, tipping his head back.

"If you already have a mate, why did you ask me on a date?" He said quietly, glancing at Lance from the corner of his eye. Lance was still, his face stoic. He licked his lips hesitantly, opening his mouth to answer.

But before he could utter a word Allura came crashing through the front door, smiling at them while shutting her medic bag.

"He's all set." She grinned at Lance who nodded appreciatively, "You ready to go?" She asked Keith.

"Y-Yeah." Keith answered, shakily raising up off the bench. She skipped towards her car, and Keith moved to follow her.

Lance grabbed Keith's arm, halting him as he also stood from the bench. Keith raised his brow quizzically.

"If you're _serious_ about learning more about us, and you swear you aren't gonna kill me, then meet me before class tomorrow. I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

Keith blinked in surprise, snapping his gaze to Allura as she called out his name, beckoning him towards the car.

"O-Okay." He nodded, "Thank you."

Lance released him, feeling his mother come up behind him. She squeezed his shoulder comfortingly as Keith hopped into his seat.

Keith kept his gaze glued to Lance until the front door slammed shut and Allura smiled to him, pulling the car away from the curb. Keith reluctantly blinked away from the door, unaware of the way it clattered when Lance fell weakly against it.

———————❖———————

"Oh, mijo." Rosa tutted as Lance breathed raggedly into the air above him, his head tipped back against the door. She lifted his arm over her shoulder, helping him stagger through to the front room. Elena sat down with him, worry etched over her little face, which Lance wiped away with a kiss.

"Hey, I'm okay." He bopped her nose, "Just got a little dizzy, is all."

"What's wrong, mi amor?" Rosa brushed her thumbover his cheek, "What do you need?"

"He needs blood."

They turned to Ronnie in the doorway. Her lips were contorted into a frown, her brow wrinkled with worry.

"Dios mio, you too?" Lance scoffed, "I'm fine, Ronnie." Lance insisted, lifting Elena from the couch and pushing her in the direction of the garden. He watched her skip up to Sebastian and pluck a daisy from the grass, beginning to form a chain with her nimble little fingers.

"You won't be for long." His sister shuffled over to him, "You're already paler and you stopped going to the gym with Hunk."

Lance scowled at her perceptiveness. If he had the strength he would hit her for adding to his mother's concern.

"Is this true, Lance?" Rosa's teeth snagged on her bottom lip.

"I told you, mami. Everything is alright." He grabbed her hand as it reached to touch his forehead, squeezing it reassuringly.

"What did he want?" She asked, glancing up at him expectantly..

"He..." Lance swallowed, "Had some questions. That was all."

"Just questions?" Rosa cocked her head.

"Yeah. He wants to know more about us - not _us_ us - all vampires. He's trying to understand." Lance sighed.

"I'm worried it might be a little late for that." Veronica chewed her lip, "You're already getting weaker. Soon enough you'll need to feed, and then what? It's already been a week, and I doubt the hunter is gonna let you bite into him any time soon." She huffed.

"We just have to take it a day at a time." Rosa soothed her gently, "We'll figure something out. For now, I want you to go get some rest. You haven't slept properly in almost three days."

Lance agreed with a ragged sigh, pushing himself off the couch with the gracefulness of a heavily pregnant woman. He traipsed up to his room, stepping over the laundry baskets lining the hall and falling onto the squishy bed situated besides his window. His fingers brushed against his wrist before ripping the bracelet from his hand to thumb over Keith's name, written eloquently in black. He remembered his glee when it first appeared. At that moment he didn't care what he had to do, he wanted to find his mate more than anything in the world.

He'd spent night after night supposing his appearance, what his favorite animal would be, what their first date would be like. He'd idealized Keith over and over again, creating this perfect illusion in his head of what he'd be like.

It’s always said that people are better in your head than in real life. He supposed that was true.

He sighed, turning onto his side at the same time his door creaked open, revealing Mateo hovering in the hall.

"Mind if I come in?"

"Do you ever go home?" Lance scoffed, wincing as he pushed himself into a sitting position, cushioning his back against his headboard with a feather filled pillow.

"Camila's been working late at the studio recently. And Elena and Seb like it here." Mateo shrugged, sitting down on the edge of Lance's bed, "I heard Keith came by with Allura."

"He's persistent, that's for sure." Lance grumbled, curling his legs to his chest so Mateo could shift fully onto the bed.

His brother stared sympathetically towards him, balancing his hand on Lance's knee.

"We're gonna figure this out, hermanito." Mateo said with determination, "Fuck that guy. You don't need him. He doesn't get to dictate whether you live or not, lo entiendes?"

Lance huffed, sinking into his brother as they leaned into an embrace. Mateo ran his hand over Lance's hair soothingly, while Lance inhaled he and Camila's laundry detergent from his shoulder. Ever since he was little Mateo had owned the ability to make any problem he had seem minuscule with only a few, simple words and an embrace. He still owned it now, and even in his darkest moments Lance found himself turning to his big brother for help.

"Get some sleep. You'll feel stronger in the morning, I promise." Mateo ruffled his hair before rising off of the bed.

Lance often forgot the tribulations Mateo had gone through with his own mate the weeks before they finally bonded. He remembered how Mateo had hardly left his room, and the times he’d barely been able to rise for more than a few hours before needing to rest again. He and Camila were one of the strongest pairs Lance had ever known, so it was easy to forget Camila's initial hesitation to accept him. Like Keith she'd known they existed. But she'd been a vigilant conspiracy theorist, not a murderous hunter.

Lance believed Keith when he said he wanted to know more. But why, Lance just wasn't sure.


	7. Chapter 7

After a quick pit-stop at the coffee shop, Lance heaved the heavy door to the astrophysics classroom open, letting it slam shut behind him. As expected, the lecture hall was completely empty. It was twenty minutes before class was due to start, after all.

As Mateo had assured him, he felt better; he'd slept a good twelve hours before his body had woken him for food. The ache in his limbs was almost non-existent now, and his pangs of hunger could be sated by a piece of toast or a sandwich. He'd need blood soon enough, but he could manage for a little while longer. Like Mateo said, they'd figure something out.

As promised, Keith walked into the classroom a little while after Lance. Lance was tapping away at his phone when he entered. He blinked up with a bored expression.

"You're late."

Keith rolled his eyes, "No, I'm _early,_ like you asked. I have other classes, you know."

"We barely have ten minutes." Lance scowled as Keith joined him in his usual seat, shifting through his bag and dropping a heavy book onto Keith's lap. Keith huffed a little, eyes flicking over the cover briefly.

"What is this?"

"It has all the information you need to know about vampires. It’s the most accurate book I could find in the library. I wouldn’t be surprised if the author was a vamp himself."

Keith flicked through the hefty pages.

"Shay mentioned you check a lot of vampire books out." Keith mumbled, brushing his fingers over a golden illustration in the corner of one of the pages.

"I like to see how accurate they are," Lance shrugged, "But this one gets most of it right. For example, we aren't immortal. We just age flawlessly." Lance framed his face, making a model-like expression, “Though we do tend to have a longer lifespan than humans.”

Keith rolled his eyes, "Okay, what else?"

"Well, we sleep in beds, not coffins. Oh, and garlic? That shit doesn't do anything except make you smell really bad." Lance elaborated.

"But silver and wood are effective?" Keith asked, glancing up at the vampire, who nodded.

"Yeah. We can only be killed by a stake through the heart or if you cut off our heads - nobody can recover from that shit - but silver is a real bitch." Lance nodded towards Keith's ring. Keith folded his arms, hiding his hands from sight as he continued.

"Tell me more about the whole... soulmate thing." Keith urged.

Lance shrugged, "I've told you most of what I know."

"You mentioned yesterday that vampires can be mates with humans?"

Lance paused, taking a bated breath before continuing.

"It's... rare. But possible. My brother's mate, Camila, she's human."

"But I thought you said humans died when they were bitten by vampires?" Keith furrowed his brow. Lance turned to face him fully, gesturing with his hands in his lap.

"It's complicated. Humans can survive the bite of a vampire, but since most vamps tend to stick to biting other vamps, usually it's only the nameless who go after humans. We try to keep our kind concealed from humans, but the nameless don't care. If a human is bitten by them, they're not likely to stop." Lance blinked up at him, "But when soulmates are bonded by a bite, it becomes a necessity on both ends. We'd never hurt our soulmate, which means we can control ourselves before we go too far. Vampires have a limit to how much blood they can give, just like humans do. Plus a soulmate bond makes you able to replenish blood quicker."

"So your parents are mates?" Keith inquired.

"Yup." Lance smiled softly, "My papi works at NASA, so he hasn't been home much recently, but they're adorable. I always hoped me and my mate could be like that." His grin dimmed a little, tainted with sadness.

"Shiro used to work for NASA." Keith said with surprise, "He graduated in Aerospace Engineering. He had to quit after his injury, though." His mouth twitched.

Lance swallowed, "Did he get it on the job?"

Keith glanced at his lap, "Yeah, but... not at his day job."

An awkward silence commenced, before Keith loudly cleared his throat.

"Out of curiosity, how many people... _know?”_

Lance hummed, "Other than Allura there’s Hunk, Pidge, Shay, Matt and Principle Alfor. Allura told him so he’d let me have days off when I’ve had a bad batch of blood. Oh, and the art teacher, Coran? He knows. He's Allura's step-dad and he's got Hemochromatosis, so he often donates blood for Luis."

Keith nodded, reminiscing on the quiet, red haired teacher.

"What about your soulmate?" He pointed to Lance's concealed wrist. Lance shifted in his seat, shrugging nonchalantly.

"I haven't met him yet."

Keith uttered a small, "Oh...", glancing toward the vampire, "So it's a guy?"

"Yeah..." Lance trailed off, rubbing his finger beneath his bracelet, detaching the leather that was sticking to his warm skin.

Keith hummed, "Knowing there's a person for you out there, that you're destined to be with? It must be reassuring."

"I suppose." Lance said, his gaze boring into the side of Keith's face.

He continued to stare even after they drifted into silence, his head cocked as if Keith was a puzzle he was trying to complete. Keith continued to turn the pages over the book, skimming over the information. He landed on a page with an intricate illustration in the center, to distract from the significant lack of information around it.

"What's this?" Keith leaned over to Lance, pointing at the drawing.

"Oh," Lance moved his finger to the page, "It's meant to show where we came from." He explained, "There's a lot of different theories, but apparently we stem from an ancient curse placed on a group of men by a witch over a thosand years ago after they stole from her. It cursed them and all their descendants to be unable to live without drinking blood. Like animals." Lance pursed his lips.

Keith glanced over the picture, showing three figures coloured red, hunched over with screaming expressions. On the hill above them was a woman, with wild curly hair and green eyes aglow.

"Witches exist too?" Keith lifted an eyebrow.

Lance shrugged, "I've never met one, but maybe. Supposedly the witch gave every vampire a soulmate to protect humanity from being completely wiped out. But I guess something went wrong, and the nameless were created."

"So if you're bitten by a vampire, it doesn't turn you into one?"

"Nope. It's passed down through blood."

Keith rolled his eyes, "Wow. I've been avoiding their teeth for years for nothing." He mumbed, hearing Lance chuckle under his breath. He blinked up to him, breath hitching when he realized how close they were.

They both jumped away from each other when they bell sounded. Keith tucked the book into his bag with a small thank you whispered Lance's way. The vampire nodded curtly just as Pidge entered, kicking the door open with her foot, her hair even scruffier than usual.

"Wow. You look like shit." Lance grinned as she approached, holding two cups of coffee in her hands. She attempted to flip him off with her finger curled around the cup, but failed miserably.

"Matt and I got drunk last night and had a Golden Girls marathon." She grumbled, "I barely slept."

"Awee, poor baby." Lance cooed, poking her cheek as she stumbled into her seat, "I gotta say, it's nice to not be the hungover one for once."

Keith chuckled along with him, and Pidge glanced between them quizzically.

"Why is he smiling? Did you two bang or something?" She uttered colloquially, causing Keith to sputter.

"Jesus, Pidge, you seriously have no filter, do you?" Lance sighed, "He knows."

She cocked her brow lazily, "Knows...?"

"That I'm a vampire." He murmured under his breath. Pidge's mouth opened in a surprised 'o'.

"Oh, well welcome to the gang, blade-boy." She finger gunned.

Keith looked at her perplexedly, "Blade-boy?"

"Veronica came up with it. It stuck." Pidge answered, taking a sip from each of her cups with a wince and a smack of her lips.

Keith shook his head as Iverson shouldered the door open, looking more worse for wear than Pidge, with sunglasses on despite the lack of sun filtering through the window. Lance grinned, whistling to grab his attention.

"Rough night, professor? Get laid?"

"Don't be so vulgar, Mr McClain." Iverson deadpanned, dropping his briefcase onto his desk with a crashing thump, "Everybody, I just got our field trip assignment. We’re travelling out of state so those of you living at home will need signed permission slips from a parent or guardian to inform me they’re aware you’re going to attend."

Keith raised his hand, "Where are we going?"

"The planetarium." Iverson said plainly, the class erupting into cheers as the words left his lips. Keith smiled, turning to Lance, who was whooping in delight.

As his hand raised in the air his bracelet slipped a little. It was for less than a second, but Keith swore he caught sight of a 'K' peeking out from underneath.

———————❖———————

Keith only had a single class that day, since Coran had called in sick. He skipped out of school after astrophysics finished, opting to spend his study period at Shiro's shop. It was barely five minutes from campus and reeked of oil and petrol he could smell from miles away. It was a smell Keith had grown used to, and would even associate with home. He pulled his bike up out front, finding Shiro on his back, fiddling with the engine of a shitty Volvo someone had left with him that morning.

"Hey." Keith greeted, pinching a lollipop from the free supply at the counter and hopping up onto the bonnet of a nearby car. Shiro rolled out from under the car wearing a pair of shorts and a white tank top with a few, grimy stains, gazing at him confusedly.

"Aren't you supposed to be studying?”

Keith shrugged, "It's boring. Amuse me."

Shiro rolled his eyes as he retrieved a spanner from his toolbox, returning to his spot beneath the peeling green Volvo. Keith pulled the book Lance had almost winded him with from his bag, resting it on his crossed legs as he flicked through it nonchalantly, rolling his lollipop around with his tongue and teeth. Shiro emerged moments later, stained with oil and wiping down his blackened hands with a rag.

"What are you reading?" He asked, panting slightly.

"It's from the library," Keith flashed him the title, "I'm trying to find out more about vamps."

"Anything useful?" Shiro leaned over his shoulder.

Keith snapped the book shut before he could even read a single word, shrugging as he returned it to his bag.

"Not really."

He caught sight of a crumpled piece of paper at the bottom of his bag, releasing a small sound of remembrance before fishing it out and passing it to Shiro.

"We have a trip next Saturday. You need to sign this."

Shiro took the paper wordlessly, grabbing a pen and scrawling his signature over the dotted line. Keith shoved it back into his bag gratefully, fastening the strap around it and locking it into place.

"Will Lance be going?" Shiro asked, reaching down to toy with the wheels of his current work. Keith swallowed, shrugging.

"Probably."

Shiro paused, gazing up at him from under his white tinted fringe, "Are you planning to take him out on the trip?"

Keith swallowed, “Take him out? You mean like with candles and roses and-?“

“Keith.” Shiro deadpanned, “I know this is difficult, but you have to take this job seriously. Lance is dangerous, you need to kill him the moment you get a chance.”

He turned back to the wheel as Keith sucked on his bottom lip, his fingers tightening around the edge of the bonnet he'd placed himself on. He was tongue tied, and he was more frustrated than he'd felt in months.

"Shiro..." He began, leaning back with his palms flat against the bonnet, "Have you ever wondered if maybe not all vamps are savage?"

Shiro stood suddenly, giving him a serious, weighty look.

"Keith." He began in a cool tone, "Please tell me you haven't got a _crush_ on a vampire."

Keith's eyes widened and he waved his hands vehemently.

"N-No! _No_ I swear, I don't. But surely they can't _all_ be bad, right?" He looked at Shiro apprehensively, "Now we know some of them have families, like Lance."

"So did we, once." Shiro scowled.

It was like a slap to the face. Shiro glared at Keith, who reeled back with wide eyes. His brother turned away from him with a sigh, moving to the next wheel with a solemn expression and running his rag over his fingers.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to make you feel bad. You're a good person, Keith, so you want to see the good in other people. I've always loved that about you," Shiro smiled up at him wryly, "But you have to stay focused. He may have a family, but he's a monster, just like the rest of them. They murder for their own survival - tell me, what part of that sounds noble to you?"

Keith ached to pour the truth to him, that his own best friend, as well as countless others, knew the truth about this supposed monster, and loved him unconditionally nonetheless. He wished he could tell him everything he didn't know about the world they lived in, about Lance.

But he was too afraid.

"Yeah. I guess you're right." Keith cast his gaze to the side, fiddling with the hem of his shirt. The garage door creak open, announcing the arrival of none other than Allura Altea.

"Heya boys." She smiled, "I brought you lunch." She told Shiro, passing him a weighty paper bag. They hugged tenderly, forcing Keith to blink away for a moment. They'd been friends since they were teenagers, and remained that way to this day. From being bounced around in the system along with his quiet demeanor, he’d never had anything like that. Deep down, he kind of envied them.

The office phone began to blare in the room to the left of Keith. Shiro pulled away from Allura with a sigh, shutting himself in the room to answer the call privately. Allura sidled up to Keith with a wide smile, sliding onto the bonnet to press up next to him.

"How’s college?" She asked, offering him a Pepsi from the bag she'd given Shiro. He shrugged, opening the can with a snap of the lid.

"It’s..." Keith cut himself off, sighing, his breath enhanced by the metal lid of the can, "Actually, I kind of need some advice."

Her gaze softened, and she nudged him with her shoulder, "Is this about Lance?"

Keith's eyes widened, "Y-You know?"

"He's told me about the situation, yes." She hummed, nodding her confirmation, "We've been friends a long time, after all."

She sighed, taking the can from Keith and sipping it, licking the perspiration from her lips.

"I've known about you and Shiro's... night time activities for a few months." She revealed, "Shiro was always running off late at night, so, like a good best friend, I snooped around his office. I found your case files."

Keith glanced at his feet, "I thought we were doing the right thing. The people we... the people we killed were all murderers."

"Then you're lucky." Allura said solemnly, "You easily could have stumbled upon an innocent vampire and murdered them because of your beliefs.”

”I almost did.” Keith grumbled, “If I’d gotten the chance before knowing him, I would have killed Lance. I thought the job was more important than _anything._ I thought... I thought I was doing the right thing. I was proud.”

Allura fell silent for a moment before turning to Keith slowly, eyes glittering curiously.

”Tell me, if you pride yourself on your work so much, why do you look so ashamed?"

Keith sighed, his shoulders slumping as Allura's hand rubbed over them soothingly.

"Lance is wonderful, Keith. I'm sure you've been told by many different people how amazing he is," She said kindly, "So give him a chance. It's the least he deserves for continuing to accept your presence, despite all you've done. You don't have to trust him just yet, but try and understand the situation they're in." She hopped off the car, glancing at him pointedly, "They aren't murderers, and you know it."

"I know that." Keith said mournfully, "It's just... it's like everything I've ever known is wrong. I don't know what to believe anymore. It's like one part of my heart is telling me one thing, and the other is telling me the complete opposite."

"That means you're coming around," She smiled, "It'll just take time. You think Hunk was completely fine at first? Or me? Or Pidge? We all took a bit of time to accept it, but eventually we all realized he’s still _Lance._ He’s still the same person, despite his unlucky heritage."

"And what about Shiro?” Keith whispered, cautious of his brother’s near presence, “He'll never trust a vampire. This won’t end well if I hide it from him- he _will_ kill Lance." Keith shook his head insistently.

Allura sighed, "If the time comes, I'll deal with your brother. Just take it slow, for now. Spend more time with Lance, get to know him. Things will work themselves out. You just have to have patience."

Keith hoped more than anything that Allura's intuition was right.

———————❖———————

Lance had struggled through the rest of the school day with difficulty. All the aches and pains he thought he'd rid himself of came hurtling back with force, leaving him stumbling and wincing with every step or crouch. Pidge and Hunk accompanied him to his classes with poorly muted concern, even sitting in with him during his astronomy lecture.

"Seriously, Lance, this is getting ridiculous." Hunk huffed after the final class of the day, once again slipping into the drivers seat of Blue, "You need to tell your mom."

"No," Lance grumbled, falling into the back seat, stretching out with a wince, while Pidge climbed into the passenger's seat, "She'd freak out. I just have to stay rested and wait this out."

"Every time you're around him it hurts you." Pidge shook her head, "You need to keep your distance, at least until your body recovers."

Lance grumbled his denial as they drove back to his house. He refused their assistance in getting to his front door, banging his head against the wood to alert those inside of his arrival, finding it hurt too much to even lift his hand or leg to knock.

"He looks like he just broke out of an asylum." Pidge mumbled as Veronica ripped the door open, catching her brother in her arms with a surprised shout.

"Dios mio!” She hauled Lance up, looking in horror at his damp face and contorted expression, “Mamá, ven rápido!" She exclaimed, helping Lance to the kitchen and sitting him at the table.

Luis appeared at the kitchen door, looking even paler than usual as he watched his brother hunch over in his chair and clutch at his stomach. Veronica passed him a glass of water, brushing his hair out of his face tenderly.

"Please don't make a big deal out of this." Lance pleaded with her as Pidge and Hunk took a seat at the table with him, watching on with concern.

 _"Estupido."_ Veronica scowled, "You look halfway to death."

Rosa appeared at the door behind Luis, gasping as she caught sight of her frail, pallid son. She tutted.

"That's it - you need to drink."

"Mamá it'll only make him sick." Veronica stopped her before she could reach the small fridge hidden beneath the sink, "He needs Keith."

Pidge stepped forwards with a glare, "Fuck Keith, he needs blood. Better that he's sick than dead." She scowled, "Give it to him. He needs a few days away from Keith anyway."

Veronica fiddled with her necklace anxiously as Rosa passed Lance a glass full of what would appear to be plain tomato juice to the naked eye. He raised it to his lips with a trembling hand. Veronica looked away as he forced it down his throat, swallowing the contents of the glass entirely, slamming it down on the table. His face was contorted into a grimace and he tore at his hair and he began to shiver.

"I'll take him upstairs. He'll need to sleep it off." Veronica helped Lance out of his chair.

"We'll cover for him at school this week." Pidge said as she carried Lance past her.

"Better make it until next week. The blood will replenish his strength, but since it isn't Keith's it will make him ill for a while." Rosa told them. Pidge and Hunk nodded, squeezing Lance's arm as he passed.

"See you soon, buddy." Hunk vowed, traipsing to the door with Pidge.

"Come in and check on him. He'll appreciate it." Rosa encouraged them, giving them both long embraces, waving them away as they crossed the road to Hunk's house.

Upstairs, Veronica huffed as she helped Lance's change into fresh cotton pajamas, hauling his quivering, sweating body into his bed. His teeth chattered from his sudden fever and she tore her gaze away painfully, retreating to the bathroom to get a wet flannel to drape over his forehead.

 _"R-Ronnie."_ He whispered. She hushed him, lifting another pillow beneath his neck to keep him propped up. He wasn't in control of his own body. The foreign blood in his system had possessed all his limbs, cursing them to quiver and thrash uncontrollably.

"Don't speak. It'll just hurt." She murmured.

"S-Sorry."

She scoffed, "Don't be sorry. This isn't your fault, amor."

She hoisted herself up next to him, carding her fingers through his hair. It pained her to see him so quiet. He'd been her best friend all her life, always painfully optimistic and full of enthusiasm. She'd never seen him so helpless before, and it poisoned her heart.

"I'll kill him." She grumbled, "You don't deserve this."

He groaned protestingly, shaking his head, bringing the covers further up over his mouth like a child.

"D-Don't. Not h-his fault."

Veronica sighed, glancing towards the door as it creaked open. A single blue eye peered through.

"Come in, Luis." She murmured, reaching out to her brother. He shuffled towards them, crutches discarded. She smiled at his effort of strength, when their older brother was so weak.

"Lance?" He whispered as he knelt next to his brother on the bed.

"Hola, hermanito." Lance smiled shakily at Luis, siting up on his pillows and reaching out to take his hand.

Luis curled up next to him, burrowing away in Lance's neck. Lance relaxed at the sound of his brother's even breaths, pausing his own labored ones as he heard Luis mumbling against the junction of his shoulder.

"Lance... please don't die." He murmured. Lance and Veronica glanced at each other softly, the younger girl lying down to wrap her arm around her brothers.

"He's going to be fine." She whispered, "I promise."

They breathed together, bathing in each other's presence as she quietly whispered.

"Everything will be fine."


	8. Chapter 8

Keith didn't have astrophysics again until the end of the week, Friday last period. Before then he’d see Hunk and Pidge around the halls, but for two whole days he didn't see Lance at all. He couldn't be found anywhere, despite his usual habit of popping up in all aspects of his life. When he finally managed to corner Pidge to ask her where he was, she just told him he was sick before escaping as soon as possible. She seemed to be avoiding him, to his confusion.

He entered the classroom fully expecting to find Lance sitting in his usual seat. But neither he nor Pidge were there when he walked in. He sat alone in his regular seat. Pidge didn't turn up at all, throughout the entire two hours. He wasted time sketching and waiting for the hours to pass, anxiously tapping his boot against the floor, earning dirty looks from the people in the row in front of him.

The period finally ended and they all raised out of their seats. Traipsing out of the classroom Keith spotted Pidge hovering outside, frowning as she mumbled to someone over the phone.

"-cause it pisses me off. He hasn't been able to leave the house in days. What if-?" She cut herself off when she noticed Keith staring. She ignored him, heading down the hallway to continue her conversation.

That's how things continued, even into the next week. Lance was neither seen nor heard from by anyone day after day. The only inclination Keith received that he was even alive had been when Pidge had shuffled into class and handed over two permission slips for the trip that Saturday. Even when she turned up to class, she pretended Keith didn’t exist, opting to actually listen to the lecture than to talk to him, which really wasn't like her at all.

Even Hunk seemed to be avoiding him. The only person who would exchange words with him was Shay, and even their conversations were brief.

"I don't get it. Did I do something wrong?" He vented to her on Friday, in his usual spot next to her in art. She just glanced at him sympathetically, squeezing his hand encouragingly.

"They're just worried about Lance. He doesn’t really get sick often. They'll go back to normal once he's back."

Keith didn't believe the excuse for a second, but he wasn't about to say that to the only person in the college that was talking to him.

Needless to say, he did a double take when he spotted Lance at the school bus stop on Saturday, talking colloquially with Pidge. Keith approached them with his nose tucked into his scarf. He didn't miss the way Pidge came to stand defensively in front of Lance when she noticed him walking towards them- just what had he done, exactly?

"Hi." He breathed to Lance, who gave him a small smile in return.

"Heya." Lance gave him a short wave.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked, rubbing his hands together through the early October cold.

"Much." Lance grinned, "Why, did you miss me?"

Keith rolled his eyes, hauling himself into the bus ahead of Lance, who just chuckled. He took one of the back seats, finding himself a little surprised when Pidge and Lance fell into the seats next to him, Pidge giving him a long stare before turning to her phone.

It was a two hour drive to the planetarium, meaning two stifling hours of sitting next to Keith. Lance could already feel the strength he'd built up after breaking his fever dissipating just from a few soft words and bump of shoulders. Pidge was even more motherly than usual, glaring at Lance when he claimed the seat next to Keith, leaving her protest unspoken.

"Are you cold?" Lance asked Keith, offering his coat to the boy. Keith reached for it, freezing when he realized this is exactly the way it had gone on their first date, when Keith had ended up pressed against a park bench with Lance's lips inches from his own.

"I-I'm good, thanks." Keith declined the coat despite his chattering teeth, suppressing the memory of Lance’s warmth. Lance seemed to notice his apprehensiveness so tucked the coat back into his bag, withdrawing something else instead. Keith blinked when a blanket was thrown over him moments later, falling neatly around his shoulders.

"You really need to prepare yourself better." Lance grinned, turning to engage in a conversation with Pidge, ignorant of the furious blush that had reared it's head on Keith's cheeks.

After a quick head count the bus roared to life, jogging out of campus and onto the highway. Keith rested his head against the window pane, feeling it vibrate against his chilled skin as they sped down the road. Most of the students in the bus were quiet. It had only just turned 6, so most were drowsily listening to music or cat napping.

Keith fumbled through his bag, nibbling on the cereal bars and liquorice he'd packed the night before. He moved into his usual sitting position, unbuckling his seat belt to curl into a ball into the corner of the chair. He didn't notice Lance watching him with a fond, affectionate smile.

For around forty minutes the bus was mostly silent. Lance and Pidge tapped away at handheld game consoles, while the rest of the passengers slept in peace. Even the usual troublemakers were snoring against the windows, their cheeks wobbling hilariously from the trembling of the bus.

Eventually staring at the passing scenery became a bit too boring for Keith, and he pulled out his sketchbook. He flipped to a recent drawing he'd begun the night before. He swallowed, stroking his fingers over the penciled outline of a mountain road, sheltered by trees, the end of the tunnel revealing a large, grassy hill, and great peaks in the distance, shaded to show the angle of the sun overhead. On top of the hill sat a family of four, the youngest no older than eight, being cradled against his mother's chest.

"Woah..."

Keith's gaze snapped to the side, where Lance had pushed aside an ear of his headphones to gaze over at Keith's page. Keith quickly snapped the book shut, seeing Lance's face blossom into a more wounded expression.

"Sorry... it just caught my eye." He said, sheepishly rubbing his neck.

"It's fine, they're just...” Keith sighed through his nose, “Personal.”

“Would you mind, if I...?" Lance gestured to the book which, after a few seconds, Keith handed over apprehensively. Starting from the beginning, Lance flicked through the pages in awe. He would stop every now and then to feel over the crevices of Keith’s pencil or brush, or to chuckle at the occasional sketch of a hippo.

"Really?" He smiled at Keith humorously as he turned the page to find the fifth drawing of a tubby hippopotamus.

"They're cute." Keith mumbled, bringing his knees to his chest to hide the embarrassed flush of his cheeks. Lance paused on a tiny sketch that resembled him too much for it not to be a side profile of his face, and Keith turned even redder.

 _"You're_ cute." Lance murmured in reply, blushing when Keith just stared at him. At last Lance reached the final page, and the drawing of the mountain road.

"Shay told me you were good but... this is amazing." Lance praised him, "Is this your family?"

"Yeah... we used to have picnics on that hill every summer." Keith smiled affectionately.

"Where did you grow up?" Lance asked, glancing to his side, surprised by Keith's nostalgic expression, one he hadn't had the opportunity to see until now.

"Dallas."

Lance winced, "You grew up gay in Texas? That's rough."

Keith shrugged, "I didn't come out until Shiro and I moved. He was the only one who knew before that. Then he came out to _me_ right after." He smiled nostalgically.

"Not even your parents know?" Lance cocked his head sympathetically.

"No..." Keith mumbled, "I never told them."

Pidge turned to listen in on their conversation, her gaze boring into Keith as he glanced down at the paper, brushing his finger over the man and woman affectionately.

"You should." Lance nodded firmly, "It'll feel good to get it out."

"It's a bit late for that now." Keith said weakly.

"I'm sure that isn't true," Lance cocked his head to the side like a confused puppy, "Just try talking to them. I’m sure they’ll understand.”

Pidge slapped her hand to her forehead.

Keith looked up at the oblivious vampire sourly, "Lance... they’re dead."

Pidge exhaled, slouching in her seat and resuming her game, "Whump, there it is." She mumbled.

"They were murdered by a vampire when I was ten." Keith mumbled down at his page.

Silence. Lance stared at him, before beginning to splutter, retracting his words clumsily.

"O-Oh, I'm so sorr-"

"It's fine." Keith raised off his seat, letting the blanket around his shoulders fall off of him, "Excuse me. I need to use the bathroom."

Lance's gaze stayed trained on Keith as he shuffled to the front of the bus and down the steps to the bus toilet.

 _"Idiot."_ Pidge breathed.

"Pidge?"

"Hm?"

"Shut up."

Keith gripped onto the bathroom sink once the door was locked, gritting his teeth. He felt a little guilty for leaving Lance without any further explanation. It was too cruel, to pin his entire race for what happened to his parents. Now he was surely sitting anxiously in his seat, wondering how to make it up to him.

He splashed his face with water, inhaling the droplets threatening to turn into icicles on the cliff of his nose. He glanced up at his expression, staring at his glazed over eyes and still slightly pink cheeks. Lance had an effect on him Keith had never seen before- the ability to make him shy and hot and furious all at the same time. In two weeks so much of his life had been revealed to this boy, a boy who up until recently he would have killed without hesitation. His head was spinning with his own sudden change of heart.

And his heart, Lance's heart, they were the root of the problem. He couldn't trust his own, and ever so slowly, the goodness in Lance's was changing him. For better or for worse, he wasn't sure.

He took a deep breath, wiping the excess moisture from his face with the sleeve balled up in his hand. He swallowed down the mist in his throat before unlocking the stall and letting the door slide open from the motion of the coach. He climbed back up to the aisle towards the back of the vehicle, where Lance had shifted closer to Pidge, and was mumbling softly to her.

Soon enough he caught sight of Keith, giving him a tiny, minuscule smile as he collapsed back into his seat with a sigh, wrapping himself back up in the blanket. Lance leaned over to him, mumbling softly in his ear.

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

Keith blinked up at him, shaking his head, "It's alright. You didn't know." And before Keith could register it, his hand was creeping over to Lance's and squeezing it. Lance looked at their joined hands in surprise. It was only for a moment, as Keith quickly retracted his palm a moment later, shocked at his own action.

"So... your parents were murdered? That’s how you became a hunter?"

"Yeah." Keith sighed, "Me and Shiro saw the whole thing. The cops blamed it on my hyperactive imagination, obviously, but me and Shiro began hunting, trying to catch him on our own."

He turned to Lance, "You have to understand, those people... they took me in from an orphanage when I was three. They loved me and fed me and took care of me even though they already had their own son. My real mother left me and my father died. I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for Shiro's parents." He swallowed, "I wanted to avenge them, to repay them for everything they did."

"I understand." Lance whispered, "You don't have to explain yourself to me."

Keith gave him a weak, grateful smile.

"After all that... how can you trust me?" Lance murmured. Keith turned to him, giving him a long, hard stare. Lance refused to break it, but began shuffling uncomfortably until Keith finally opened his mouth to reply.

"I don't." He said bluntly, "Not completely, anyway. But you’re... different. You care about people. I can’t hate someone like that."

Lance's expression softened and he smiled, tipping his head back against the head cushion. He was pressed into Keith's side, but the boy didn't mind the warmth.

They arrived at the planetarium around an hour later. There were crumbs from Pidge's potato chips all over the seat and remnants of Keith's liquorice on the floor and in the bottom of his bag. They cleaned up a little, Lance returning his blanket to his own satchel. Once again, Keith refused to take his coat, despite his obvious shivering as soon as the blanket was pulled from his shoulders, Lance’s presence no longer radiating heat at his side.

"Okay, for this trip everyone will be assigned a partner. If anybody gets lost, it's up to their partner to find them." Iverson announced from the front of the coach.

Iverson listed the pairs off one by one until he finally reached Lance's name. He froze as he called Keith's name after his. The boys glanced at each other. Lance gave a nonchalant shrug, lifting his bag off the floor and hauling it over his shoulder.

"I guess we're partners then." He grinned.

"Aw, your first date." Pidge drawled in a honeyed tone, wincing when Lance reciprocated her taunts by flicking her on the forehead.

As soon as everyone was placed into a pair they all began to shuffle out of the bus. As they filtered through the isle, Keith noticed Lance leaning heavily on the chairs, holding himself up with their backs as he slowly mare his way towards the front of the bus.

"What's wrong?" He whispered. Lance dismissed his concerns with a wave of his hand.

"I'm just tired. Don't worry about it." Lance pointedly let go of the chair, knees betraying him and wobbling as he hopped down the stairs and out of the bus. Keith wasn't entirely convinced, but followed him out anyway, ready to catch him if he were to fall.

But Lance's fatigue seemed to be forgotten completely once they made it past security. Lance saw the gleaming signs pointing towards the space exhibit and grabbed Keith's arm.

"This way." He grinned, dragging Keith over into the large hall. Stars were plastered all over the walls. Lance ran excitedly up to all the displays, observing the diagrams of planets and solar systems like a child at a toy store, admiring the model ships hanging from the ceiling. The largest was right in the center and fell through the round hole in the floor to the exhibit below, where Keith could see a few other students milling about.

Keith recognized it well. Lance read the plaque while Keith gazed at the ship, itching to reach out and run his hands across the molding.

"Man, this has gotta be one of the coolest ships ever made." Lance beamed at the shuttle as Keith traveled around the circumference of the hole, observing every intricate detail they'd added to the model, seeking out any discrepancies.

"Shiro helped build it." He smiled fondly, trailing his fingers over Shiro's name, itched into the plaque.

 _”What?_ Your _brother_ built the ship for the Kerberos mission?" Lance gaped at him, "That's fucking awesome!" He exclaimed, getting shushed by a glowering mother a few feet away from them.

"Yeah. It was pretty cool. He got injured around a month after that, but... at least he got to finish it."

Lance winced solmenly, "He sounds pretty great," Lance sighed, "Too bad he wants to kill me." He mourned. Keith observed the sour expression on his face, taking him by surprise by grabbing his hand.

"Come on. Lets look downstairs." Keith pulled him out of the hall and down the escalator. They gazed up in awe at the projection of planets above them, and Keith found himself catching Lance's contagious enthusiasm as they traveled through the planetarium, getting lost in Lance's descriptions of every star or planet they passed. He even found himself learning a little bit.

For a while it felt as if they were normal teenagers on a field trip, speeding round the planetarium, laughing at each other as they skidded through the halls, trying to shoulder their way into the displayed space suits and wincing as they attempted to swallow space food from the cafeteria, joined by Pidge, who to Keith's horror wolfed down an entire packet of moisture-less strawberries in one go.

But a few hours in, Keith noticed Lance faltering. It was subtle at first, every now and then they'd have to stop for a breath, or he'd excuse himself to the bathroom, only to not so discreetly take a rest against the wall next to the door. Keith knew Lance would refuse any concern he offered, but still, he could see Pidge was just as worried as him as she watched him turn pale in hisc cafeteria chair.

By the time they were on their third circuit of the center, the booming voice across the PR announced it was their turn to see the show. The two boys grinned, dragging Pidge from her lackluster partner and into the planetarium. They took seats right at the back.

Keith was trembling with excitement. Lance was trembling, too, but Keith had a feeling it wasn't for the same reason.

The lights dimmed and the seats tipped back, making Keith feel like he was floating on air as a projection of thousands of tiny lights appeared in front of his eyes above him. They lay under the stars knitting together like a beautiful, surreal blanket above their heads. Keith heard Lance's soft breaths as a voice sounded overhead, uttering what to Keith was just background noise to the spectacle above him. The planets and stars were so close it felt like he could reach up and collect them in his palms like glitter. But in reality, they were millions of miles apart.

The distance between him and Lance, however, was not so grand. Lance was breathing regularly, but Keith could see him shaking and wincing every few seconds. Pidge was mumbling to him from his other side and holding his arm, her nails pressing so firmly into his skin Keith worried she might break the surface. But Keith couldn't distinguish her words over the speaker. However he could tell it was only a matter of time before Lance, just like the stars he loved, would fizzle out and fall.

Keith's hand slid over their seats, landing on Lance's forearm. Lance's eyes widened and he yanked his arm away. Keith's touched burned, but not because of his ring. That was on his other hand. No, Keith's presence was stifling, like a warm blanket in cold weather: it comforted him, but soon enough he would suffocate under its weight.

"I'm fine." He mumbled to Keith, who looked a little wounded under the cascading lights. He was so goddamn beautiful. Lance knew he wouldn't be able to go on like this much longer. Every beat of Keith's heart, every breath he took, was in HD in Lance's ears. He could handle it before, when he thought Keith hated him. But with Keith glancing at him so softly, with those beautiful, _breathtaking_ eyes, how was he supposed to hold himself together?

Keith leaned over to him, "If you're ill you should-"

"I'm _fine."_ Lance insisted, knowing that if Keith got any closer there would be a severe risk of Lance pouncing on him.

Keith tried focusing on the information being filtered through the speakers, but all he could focus on was the trembling man next to him. Usually he would use gentle touches and soft words to soothe him, but any time he got near Lance would flinch away from him. His condition worsened and worsened until they were halfway through the show, and he began panting shallowly. His throat was bone dry, and he knew that no substitute blood, or any amount of water would suffice. He wanted- no, he _needed_ Keith.

He came to his tipping point barely a few minutes later. It was nothing special, just a tiny, suggestive hitch of Keith's breath, and then he was leaping from his seat, clinging to the backs of chairs to keep himself standing as he bolted from the theater as quick as he could. Keith was running after him in an instant.

"Keith, wait-!" Pidge hissed, but Keith ignored her warning, hurriedly following Lance from the room. He was breathless as he bounded through the entrance to the theater, hearing another slam from a few feet down the hall. He turned towards the sound, finding a large silver door leading to the emergency exit stairwell. He pushed it open, hearing panting echoing from the bottom of the stairwell.

"Lance?" He called, his voice laced with panic as he sprinted down the stairs two at a time. He followed the sound of heavy breathing until he reached the bottom step. His hand ghosted over his lips in shock. Lance was lying half-conscious against the wall, adjacent to the big red exit door, his forehead damp with sweat and his breath coming raggedly with short intervals between each inhale.

Lance's eyes flashed with fear when he caught sight of Keith, his legs kicking to shuffle him away as Keith crouched down at his side.

"Keith. _Keith."_ Was all Lance could manage to say. He hoped the warning tone in his voice would be enough to make him scamper away, but Keith only leaned closer, inspecting Lance with fearful, shaking hands.

"What’s happening?" Keith winced, Lance's forehead piping hot like an oven against his gentle palm.

"Go." Lance whispered urgently, "You need to fucking _go,_ Keith, I'm not kidding." He pushed Keith's hand away, squeezing his eyes shut as a flash of pain blossomed across his chest.

"What is it?" Keith asked stubbornly, "Is it blood? Do you need blood?"

Keith knew he'd hit the bulls-eye when Lance averted his eyes in shame. He sighed, grabbing Lance’s chin and turning his head round to forcefully lock their gazes together.

"It's okay. You have blood at home, right? I'll call Allura, she's in town for a medical conference. She can drive you home and-" Keith began fumbling for his phone, but Lance shook his head.

"No. I-I _can't."_

Keith's eyes softened and he squeezed Lance's hand, unaware that it wasn't assuring like he'd intended, but instead just made the pain in Lance's body worse.

"It's okay, Lance." Keith whispered, "I'm not gonna judge you."

Lance huffed, knocking Keith's phone out of his hand and grabbing his wrist, turning him his way urgently.

"Keith, y-you need to listen to me." He said firmly, "It won't work. It can’t just be anyone’s blood. Keith, I-" He shook his head, running his hand through his hair, yanking at the strands in frustration. Of all the situations, this had not been the one Lance had imagined telling Keith the truth.

"Lance?" Keith asked as Lance shakily raised his wrist in the air, fumbling with the clasp of his bracelet. Keith's eyes flickered between Lance's face and his wrist as Lance finally got a solid grip on the bracelet, snapping the clasp and letting it fall to the floor. He kept his wrist turned away from Keith for a moment, glaring solemnly at the words etched permanently into his skin, before slowly letting his hand drop to his lap.

Suddenly, he couldn't hear Keith's heart at all. In fact, it skipped several beats completely before finally remembering how to function, how to keep Keith breathing. It was his name, in perfect cursive across Lance's wrist. The patch was paler than the rest of his arm from being trapped beneath the bracelet for so long, making the letters even bolder.

"It needs to be you." Lance whispered as his arm flexed, wrapping around his stomach as it churned in pain. Keith just stared at the wall in shock. He was Lance's soulmate. _Lance_ was _his_ soulmate. The events of the past few weeks suddenly rang with clarity, the fist clenched around his heart squeezing tighter than ever as he moved his gaze to Lance.

He was barely awake anymore, his eyes closed as he shallowly exhaled stagnant breaths against the floor. Keith's shins were going numb from the weight of his thighs, but it really didn’t matter, since nearly everything felt numb in that moment. He shuffled closer to Lance, helping him up so he was slouched back against the wall. It terrified him to the core, but seeing Lance weak and dying against the floor made his decision easier. He cleared his throat, edging closer to the panting vampire.

"A-Alright." He cleared his throat, “Then take it.”

Keith whispered it so quietly Lance had to strain to hear it, even with his advanced hearing. But he caught it nonetheless. His eyes snapped open wide and he shook his head.

"Keith, d-don't be stupid." He squeezed his eyes shut as another burst of pain struck him squarely in the heart like an arrow, "I-If I drink from you, we'll be bonded. You know what that m-means, right?" He gazed up at him desperately.

Keith didn't, not really. All he knew was that Lance was in pain, and all the while Lance was hurting, _Keith_ was hurting. Maybe it was a soulmate side affect, but he couldn't bear it.

"You'll need my bite like I'll need your blood. We'll be tied together until one of us dies." Lance swallowed, "Seriously, you should just call Allura and... leave me."

"Will you die?" Keith blinked, tone deadly serious.

"Isn't that what you wanted in the first place?" Lance uttered weakly.

"Jesus christ - no!" Keith exclaimed, "Believe me I'm not all that eager to be bitten by a vampire but I don't want you to _die,_ Lance." Keith leaned down, "I would never forgive myself."

Lance smiled up at him, his eyes opening a crack. Keith's breath caught in his throat as Lance reached up to brush his knuckles over Keith's cheek, the black on his wrist blurry in the corner of his eye.

"You're such a weirdo." Lance exhaled breathily, "A total idiot."

Keith laughed brusquely, "So will you drink?"

Lance visibly gulped, pushing himself up so he and Keith were seated across from each other. Keith hitched the sleeve of his sweater up to the crook of his elbow, extending his arm so his wrist was hovering in front of Lance's lips. The vampire blinked up at him apprehensively.

"You're sure?"

Keith sighed, shifting further forwards and pressing his skin against Lance's lips, feeling his teeth graze the thin epidermis.

"Just do it, already. I'm not gonna be the one to explain to your family that you died ‘cause you were being stubborn."

Lance laughed lightly, and gently wrapped his fingers around Keith's wrist. Keith sucked in a breath and squeezed his eyes shut, preparing himself for the pain of the bite. His eyes fluttered open, however, when a soft kiss was pressed against his pulse, relaxing him for when Lance’s fangs extended from his gums, and he slowly sunk his teeth into the papery flesh.

Keith gasped at the initial pain, though it was far more muted than he'd expected. The feeling of his blood rushing to his pulse numbed the sting and was surprisingly exhilarating, and he found himself becoming quickly accustomed to the feeling. Lance's lips were unbelievably soft, as was his touch as his free hand rubbed soothingly into Keith's hip.

Keith glanced down at him through a hooded gaze, his inhale snagging on a branch in his throat as Lance met his line of sight with one even more heated and impassioned. His eyes were _glowing,_ but not that fiery yellow from before. They were lit up neon blue, like an old hotel sign, his pupils blown wide as plates.

It was more tender and less predatory than Keith had expected. Lance held him close as he slowly drew blood from his wrist, the feeling becoming more and more pleasurable the more Lance drank. Keith could see how he could get addicted to this feeling. He'd given over all control to the vampire. It should have terrified him, being so weak in front of such a powerful creature, but he felt safe, wrapped up in Lance's warmth.

"F- _Fuck."_ Keith hissed as Lance bit deeper, squirming as a buzzing feeling began to zip through his veins, his pale fingers reaching up to curl into the fabric over Lance's shoulders. He'd already lost control of his legs, and judging by the quiver of his hand, his arms would soon be next.

His body sagged and he fell trustingly against Lance, panting harshly. Lance continued to suck, his brow tightly knit together as if he were in pain as he swallowed mouthful after mouthful of Keith's blood, his arm wrapping comfortingly around Keith. His eyes opened blearily as Keith gripped onto his shoulder, fisting at his shirt, feeling himself getting dizzy and his head getting lighter.

Lance pulled away the moment he noticed Keith's eyes closing, kissing and licking over the bite in soothing strokes. They panted together as Lance squeezed at his wrist to get his circulation going again, the sudden rush of blood to Keith's head sending him reeling back. Lance caught him just as he was about to fall, cradling his head against his shoulder, hushing and rocking him until the furious pounding of his heart ceased.

Keith opened his eyes, his lids hooded and his pupils dilated to the max. Feeling his strength returning, Lance allowed his breathing to settle into a more languid pace as Keith pulled back, gradually raising to his feet. He rubbed at his wrist, despite feeling only an unnoticeable, dull throbbing sensation around the puncture marks.

"Thank you." Lance breathed. Keith nodded mutely, removing his ring from his middle finger and tucking it into his pocket before offering his hand to Lance.

"Come on, I'll call Allura to come pick us up." He announced as he hauled Lance up off of the floor. Lance mumbled something into his shoulder, but it was muffled by the fabric of Keith's jumper. The vampire was better balanced, but he still rested rather heavily on Keith's shorter frame, relying on the strength hidden in his arms to hold him up as they stumbled into the car park, both equally light headed.

It wasn't until a few minutes later, as Allura swung up recklessly next to them, that Keith realized how drastically things had changed, now. He was on two sides of the same war, and soon enough it would be demanded that he made a choice between them both. But he decided, for now at least, he'd indulge himself in some normalcy, before his world inevitably tipped once again.


	9. Chapter 9

Lance crashed the moment Keith had hauled him into the back seat of Allura's car. Keith shifted the vampire’s long legs onto the seat and placed himself beside him, Lance’s hair brushing against his thigh as he slept. Allura passed him a roll of bandages from her trunk wordlessly, running her hand affectionately over his hair before getting back into her seat and driving them away from the planetarium.

Keith texted Pidge, telling her he and Lance had left before turning his phone off and shoving it into his pocket, beginning to wrap the bandage around his wrist. Allura sang along softly to the car radio, not pressing Keith to speak, which he was thankful for. Her eyes had widened in shock when she'd seen the puncture marks on Keith's bleeding wrist, but she hadn't said anything, just helped him lift Lance inside the car.

"Thank god I was nearby," She huffed, "You'd have been screwed otherwise." She said lightly as they trudged along the road, beginning the long journey home.

"He's pale - should we give him something to eat?" Keith's brow perked up quizzically.

Allura shook her head, "His strength should return by tomorrow. He's gone unnaturally long without blood, so his body needs to adjust. Just let him sleep for now." She advised him.

Keith nodded quietly, enveloping the webbing of his thumb with the bandage to hold it in place. He glanced between Lance and Allura, who was calmly staring out at the road ahead of her. Keith cleared his throat with a grumble.

"Did you know?" He mumbled as he slowly swathed his wrist with the thin, white bandage, blinking towards the dark skinned girl. Allura visibly swallowed, before nodding.

"I knew you were his soulmate, yes." She confirmed.

Keith shook his head, "Why didn't anyone _tell_ me?"

She rolled her eyes, "You know damn well you would have freaked out if I'd told you. And it wasn't my place," She turned to gaze down at the slumbering vampire almost lying in Keith's lap, "He wanted to wait until the time was right."

Keith blinked down at Lance's peaceful form, his eyes turning solemn. He and Lance had met two weeks ago- how much pain had he endured before today?

He taped down the end of the bandage, flexing his hand. The little sting that had been present was already almost gone, but the bandage hid the wound from sight, at least. Keith curled his fingers into a fist, glaring at the seat in front of him as a terrifying thought crossed his mind.

"What am I gonna tell Shiro?" He asked solemnly, staring ahead of him. Allura shrugged.

"We'll figure that out later." She assured him, "Don't worry about that right now- how do you _feel?"_ She pressed.

Keith glanced back down at Lance. The vampire’s fingers were curled up near his thighs and his head was half-resting in Keith's lap, jogging slightly every time they went over a bump. He wasn't shaking any longer, Keith noticed, and his breathing had evened out in a matter of minutes.

"I feel... weird," He said softly, brushing Lance's hair from his face, "Like something's been missing, and I've found it."

Allura smiled gingerly, "Are you afraid?"

"I'm fucking terrified." Keith admitted under his breath, "But... not of him."

Allura exhaled, almost in relief, and a small smile appeared on her face. She flexed her fists around the wheel, turning to Keith.

"Well from now on, you have to tread carefully," She nodded towards Lance, "He won't pressure you. He understands that this is a big deal. But he's been waiting to meet you ever since he was a child, so try and understand his side."

Keith pursed his lips sourly, "I must have been a fucking disappointment." He grumbled.

Allura shook her head, "Not at all." She assured him, Keith’s mouth parting in surprise, "When you two first met, Lance was ecstatic. He wouldn't shut up about you for days- in his head you're perfect, no matter what fucked up stuff you do."

Keith shook his head mournfully, "He doesn't deserve this. I can't... I can't make him happy, like he wants."

"Then you'll have to make it up to him by staying by his side." Allura hummed firmly, "You mean everything to him, Keith. So please, don't break his heart again."

"Was he angry?" Keith asked, quietly fiddling with his jumper as he pulled his sleeve back down his wrist. Allura turned to his with a wry, pained expression.

"He was... upset, that's for sure. Once he met you, he knew there was only a matter of time before he'd need to drink. You being human was unsettling enough. He'd grown up his whole life with stories about vampires who died because their mate was human and rejected them. So when he found out not only are you human, but you're also a _hunter..."_ Allura sighed, shaking her head.

"What did he do?" Keith whispered.

"I don't know. Pidge and Hunk were the only ones who saw him that weekend. From the sounds of it, he was deeply depressed. His mother tried feeding him somebody else's blood, and it replenished his strength but it also made him ill. That's why he was absent for the past few weeks. I had to make regular visits just to make sure the unfamiliar blood wouldn’t kill him."

Keith exhaled sympathetically, rubbing his palm over his face. Lance had told him vampires relied heavily on their mates, but he hadn't realized how much he'd been struggling. Thinking back, he understood why Pidge had been so angry with him.

"You didn't know, Keith." Allura said softly, "And if he hadn't reached his limit today you probably never would have."

Keith sighed, resting his hand in Lance's hair.

"How do I fix this?" He turned to Allura.

She shrugged, "You can't erase what's happened. You may be his soulmate, but it'll be a while before he can trust you again," She said solemnly, "Start by talking to him. When he wakes up he'll be embarrassed, so assure him that you're staying. You _are_ staying, right?"

"I don't have a choice, do I?" He mumbled.

"It'll become easier, with time." She vowed.

Keith didn't speak again after that, and neither did Allura. He ran his fingers repeatedly over his bandage, expecting to feel pain any second, but besides a dull, aching throb there was nothing indicating the punctures in his skin were even there. He felt himself beginning to blush again as he reminisced on the sensation of the bite. The few times he and Shiro had caught vampires feeding, it had been a harrowing sight, tainted with red in Keith's memory.

But other than the initial bite, Keith had barely felt a thing, other than the filling sensation of blood rushing to his wrist. Lance's hand on his waist hadn't been firm, leaving him plenty of room to move away if he wished it. He hadn't felt like prey in his tender embrace, he'd felt safe. Protected. Keith blushed at the thought, shifitng so Lance was laying more comfortably on his thigh.

For the remaining few hours of the drive Keith slept lightly, stirring only to check his messages, reading a confirmation from Pidge that she'd return their bags to them on Monday.

It was nearing dinner time when they pulled up outside Lance's house, the vampire still half-conscious on Keith's lap.

"You ready?" Allura turned in her seat to face Keith, who blinked at her, once, twice, three times before he realized what she meant.

"I'm sorry- you want _me_ to go in?”

The girl rolled her eyes, "You're going to have to meet them eventually. And there's no way he's getting to his front door without help." She gestured towards Lance's limp, sleeping frame.

"Then _you_ take him in." Keith folded his arms.

Allura sighed, "Come on, Keith. They don't..." She trailed off, and Keith blinked at her plainly.

"Bite?" He suggested.

"Poor choice of words, sorry."

Keith huffed, lifting himself out of the car, flexing the numbness out of his legs and ass. Allura gave him an encouraging thumbs up as he stirred Lance enough to get him onto his feet, lifting him from the car. Lance groaned as Keith looped his arm around his neck, kicking the door shut and giving Allura a glare.

"Keith?" Lance mumbled.

"Yeah, it's me- we're at your house, okay? Just a little further..." Keith murmured as they staggered up Lance's driveway. Before he even had a chance to rap at the door it swung open, revealing the same curvaceous woman as before, this time with an orange tinged pinny around her waist.

"Ay dios mio." She mumbled, glancing up at Keith, "You made him like this?"

Keith swallow as Rosa fixed him with a protective glare, longing to just leave Lance and sprint back to the safe confines of Allura's car.

"Tranquila, mami." Lance grumbled, "He saved me."

Lance lifted Keith's bandaged wrist to her face pointedly, and Rosa's breath hitched in her throat.

"He...?" She cut herself off, gazing at Keith in shock for a few seconds, before pushing the door open.

"Bring him through to the living room." She instructed Keith, who nodded, keeping his gaze fixed to his feet as he hauled Lance through the house into the door to their left. Glancing up, he met eyes an identical hazel to Rosa's, except they were filled with far more fury. He didn't look too much older than Lance, and even had the same brown hair, if a little longer.

"Jesus, what happened?" The man shot up off the couch, eyes narrowing as he took Lance from Keith, helping him stumble past the coffee table and onto the fluffy sofa cushions. Lance sunk into them, burying his face into the squishy material.

"Mamá, estás loca? You let him in our house?" The man - Mateo, Keith guessed with the previous information Lance had given him - said angrily to his mother, locking eyes with Keith, advancing on him to push him further away from Lance.

Rosa stepped forwards, coolly placing her palm flat against her son's chest, fixing him with a hard stare.

"Él salvó la vida de Lance." She said calmly, gesturing towards Keith's wrist. Mateo stared at it for a few seconds, before backing away, though his hands still shook with resentment. He turned his attention to Keith, folding his arms in front of him intimidatingly.

"This asshole saved him?" He scoffed, "Why the hell would you help him? Aren't you supposed to hate us?"

"I-I..." Keith stuttered, "I don't know. I just... I couldn't let him die." He finished weakly, glancing down at his feet. Mateo scoffed, blinking towards his mother with a deadpan expression.

"So, what, we're supposed to play happy families with this guy now?" He asked incredulously in his thick accent.

Rosa pursed her lips, "They're mated." She said solemnly, "We have no choice."

"He broke his heart, ma." Mateo pointed towards Lance, giving Keith a look of disgust, "You want me to forgive him after everything he's done?"

"Mateo would you shut the fuck up?"

The three all turned to the body on the couch they’d all forgotten was there, mumbling into the cushions and giving his brother the stink eye.

"He saved me. Thank him, and let him leave."

"A-Allura's waiting, so..." Keith trailed off, rubbing at his elbow, "I should probably go."

"I... think that would be best." Rosa gave him a weary smile, leading him towards the door, away from the thick tension in the living room. He paused once he crossed the threshold, turning to the small woman hastily.

"I didn't mean to hurt him." He said quietly. Rosa sighed placing her hand weakly on her hip.

"I know, honey." She replied honestly, "Go home. Rest up, and you can talk with him once he feels better."

Keith nodded tiredly, trudging back to Allura's car, hearing the door to Lance's house slam shut behind him.

Rosa padded back into the front room, where Mateo was draping their grandmother's knitted blanket over Lance's shoulders. Lance was completely asleep now, breathing lightly and looking more peaceful than Rosa had seen him in weeks. She approached her other son slowly, taking Mateo's hand and squeezing.

"Let's just be thankful that he's okay." She instructed him. Mateo shook his head, looking down at his exhausted brother with balled up hands.

"Lance is an idiot. We can't trust that _homicida."_ Mateo scorned, retreating to the kitchen, where dinner was lightly simmering on the stove. Veronica had taken the younger ones upstairs the moment Keith had arrived. Mateo could hear his children bounding around in the playroom, their gleeful squeals reaching his ears and clenching at his heart.

"He saved Lance's life." Rosa said solemnly, "We owe him."

"For all we know this is just his way of getting close to us. Are we seriously just gonna accept him into the family for giving Lance a little bit of blood?" He outstretched his hands in bewilderment. Rosa patted his shoulder, rubbing it to unwind the tenseness beneath his skin.

"I know it's hard, but we have to let Lance decide what to do." She said sincerely, "He's a big boy. He knows how to look after himself."

"Mamá he's unconscious on the couch right now. When it comes to that boy, Lance is stupider than that blanco who turned his cat into a plane." Mateo scoffed, "We can't put Elena, Sebastian and the rest of our family in danger because Lance won't get his head out of his culo."

"Mateo," His mother tutted, "I know how much you love your brother, but you need to let him handle this on his own. Keith is young and easily influenced; we just have to set him on the right path." She cooed.

"I don't know, ma," Mateo shook his head, "What about his brother?"

"We'll deal with him when the time comes. For now, let's just see what happens, hm?" Rosa cocked her bro.

"Mamá's right, Matty." Veronica entered the kitchen, holding Elena's hand, "This isn't our fight."

"Nobody asked you, niñita." Mateo grumbled as his sister affectionately swept her hand over his hair, sticking her tongue out playfully. Rosa watched them bicker with a domesticated smile, turning to sweep her gaze over Lance’s sleeping form. She sighed, clapping her hands together to break apart the siblings arguing near the stove.

"Ay, both of you sit down before you spill rice everywhere. Animales."

———————❖———————

Keith huffed as he returned to Allura's car, slipping into the passenger's seat, feeling Allura's expectant gaze burning into the side of his face.

"Are you okay?" She asked quietly.

"I'm fine. Let's just go, please?" He pleaded. She nodded, opting to stay silent for the entire drive to Shiro and Keith's house due to Keith's solemn expression. He'd never had someone look at him with such hatred before. He finally understood why Lance hadn't been upfront with him from the beginning. The way Mateo looked at Keith was the way everybody had been looking at the McClains their entire lives. The feeling Keith got when Mateo glared at him physically ached, he could only imagine how it would hurt to be rejected by your soulmate.

He squeezed his eyes shut, fisting his shirt into a ball in his hand. He resisted the urge to tear it off in all his frustration. The further they got from Lance's house the more his heart pounded and ached, and the more he itched to tell Allura to turn around, and return to his side. This wasn't just the overwhelming concern for a friend. It was a _craving._

Allura pulled up at Keith's house in silence, staring right ahead as she shut the engine off. Keith's nostrils flared as he took an immense breath, glancing towards his front door apprehensively.

"I can't go in there."

Allura turned to Keith as he whispered the words, pitching his voice low to hide his tremor. She slid her hand into his, squeezing the white flesh firmly.

"Everything's different now, I- I can't face him." Keith shook his head.

"You don't have to tell him anything." Allura assured him, "But you need to rest. Just go in and sleep, your head will be clearer in the morning."

She leaned forwards, kissing his forehead gently. A wave of emotions suddenly surged forwards, rearing it's head and forcing Keith to pull her into a tight embrace. He buried his face in her neck as she caressed the ends of his hair, rubbing up and down his back.

"I know this is a lot for you right now." She mumbled, "But it'll get better. I promise."

"Thanks, 'Llura." He drawled sleepily, sniffing as he pulled himself from her arms, snapping the handle to his right and kicking the hefty door open. He shuffled up the driveway at a languid pace, pulling his key from his pants and shakily inserting it into the lock. Reggae music was softly playing in the kitchen, and Keith could hear Shiro's distinctive singing voice following the melody. There was a pan sizzling in the distance, and the usual creaky floorboard as Keith crossed the threshold of the living room.

It was home.

Shiro rested comfortably next to the stove, sipping at a beer as he stirred the japchae Keith could smell cooking. He smiled when he heard Keith approaching him from the door, turning to greet him.

"Hey! How was the trip?" Shiro asked over the sizzling. Keith joined him at the stove, lifting two plates from the cupboard above his head and moving to set the table, grabbing their chopsticks from the drawer.

"It was fine." Keith moved slowly, keeping his sweater hitched down and curled around his fingers to hide the bandage threatening to peek out from beneath.

Shiro carried the pan over, loading their plates with golden noodles and vegetables. Keith inhaled the savory smell wafting from his plate with a familiar smile, snapping his chopsticks apart and digging in. Shiro chuckled fondly, blowing on his own mouthful of noodles before scoffing the food down. Keith reveled in the familiar taste of home, reminiscing on past family dinners shared with their mother and father, throwing pieces of pepper and broccoli across the table and drinking his mother's home made orange juice.

"Did Lance give you any trouble?"

The inevitable question caused Keith to pause chewing, and he blinked up at Shiro, who was gazing nonchalantly down at his food. Keith swallowed his mouthful slowly, shrugging in reply.

"Not really."

Shiro hummed, "Good. That means he hasn't suspected you yet. But you've got to stay vigilant, he's getting closer to you. You never know when he could decide to strike."

Keith shifted uncomfortably, pulling his sleeve further down his arm and resting his cheek against his sweater-wrapped hand. Shiro continued to eat, ignorant of the guilty skip of Keith's heart.

"Thace says he has a new case for us, if you're up for it." Shiro informed him.

"Cool..." Keith mumbled with feigned enthusiasm, stuffing another pile of noddles into his mouth. The faster he chewed, the faster he could retreat to his room, away from the stuffy, awkward tension and uncomfortable topic of conversation.

"Hey, are you alright?" Shiro's brow furrowed in concern, "You’re usually excited when we get a new case."

"I-I'm fine, I'm just-"

"What happened to you arm?" Shiro grabbed onto Keith's forearm, pulling it for closer inspection. Keith froze, noticing the sleeve of his sweater had fallen from his grasp and revealed the edge of his bandage, wrapped around his thumb and down around his wrist.

"I-I..." Keith stammered, "It's nothing I-"

Shiro shoved his sleeve to his elbow. Keith sucked in a breath as he observed the two incriminating spots of red seeping through the fabric. Shiro stared down at the wound, his eyes growing wider and wider until he swallowed, fearfully slow.

"Holy fuck." Shiro released Keith's arm, which went flying back to be cradled against Keith's chest, "Keith, did he _bite you?"_

Keith's mouth twitched as he gazed down at the table. He jumped as Shiro slammed his palm down, fixing Keith with a desperate look.

"Y-Yes." Keith murmured admittedly, "But-"

"I'll kill him." Shiro leaped from his seat, an unbelieving, vacant expression on his handsome features, "That bastard I'll go and stake him right now-!"

"No, Shiro please-" Keith sprung in front of Shiro, pushing him back.

"It's okay, Keith, it'll be alright. I'll kill everyone in his family if I have to." Shiro shoved past him towards the closet beneath the stairs, while Keith's mouth quivered in horror.

"Please don't! Shiro I- I _let him_ do it!" Keith shouted, going immediately tense as Shiro's back went taught in front of him. He turned exceedingly slow, murder in his eyes as he glared at Keith.

"Please tell me you're joking. Tell me that you didn't actually let a _vampire_ drink from you, like you’re a piece of meat?" Shiro scoffed incredulously.

Keith shook his head pleadingly, "Shiro that's not it - not entirely - I did it to save his life. He was dying, Shiro."

"So you should have left him! Have you forgotten he's a vampire? A monster that murders for its own survival?" Shiro stepped towards him, backing him against the couch.

"He isn't a monster." Keith whispered forlornly, "I know it's hard to understand- but those names on their wrists? Their the name of their _soulmates,_ Shiro.” Keith gazed up at his brother with a pleading glint in his eyes, begging him to listen, "And... I'm Lance's. Don’t you see? He can’t kill anyone, because he can't survive unless it's off _my_ blood.”

Shiro pinched his brow, "Give me a break. You think this guy is your soulmate? You aren't _shit_ to him, Keith. To them, all we are is food."

Keith shuddered on his next exhale, refusing to look up and meet Shiro's disappointed gaze. On top of everything else, all the mess in his head, he didn't think he could bear it.

"You don't know him." Keith said quietly, glaring down at his shoes, "He's a good person."

Shiro pursed his lips, turning his back to Keith and starting to tear at his hair in frustration.

"I don't know what's gotten into you, but this isn't the Keith I know." He mumbled mournfully, "I never thought you would stoop this low."

"You're right. I'm not the same person as before." Keith mumbled, "I don't know if things are better or worse, but I can't kill him Shiro. I _can't."_ His voice cracked and he shoved past his brother to the stairs.

“Keith.” Shiro’s voice rang out so steely it forced Keith to stop shy of the first step, his fingers white from the tough grip he had on the banister.

“If you won’t do it, then I will. You know I will.” Nothing but silence followed Shiro’s statement. Keith turned, steadily metring his brother’s eyes. He knew he was teary, but he hadn’t the audacity to care.

“Then I’ll do whatever it takes to stop you.”

He sprinted up to his room, slamming and locking the door behind him. Shiro yelled his name, even pounding his fist against the door to get his attention, but Keith just pressed a pillow to his ear, muffling any noise other than the blood flowing through his skull.

Eventually Shiro gave up, leaving Keith alone with the wind howling through his window. He weakly pushed himself up to change into a soft pair of pajamas before collapsing into bed, his legs finally giving in to his fatigue and buckling beneath him. He burrowed beneath his cool covers, wrapping his arms around one of his pillows and hugging it tightly to his body, inhaling the smell of their laundry detergent.

Shiro's words rang around his head, like his skull was one big church bell, clanging as it rocketed back and forth. He pulled at his hair, trying to rid himself of the noise keeping his eyes open and his mind restless, the word 'monster' drifting around again and again and again. He clenched his fists around his pillow.

It was like he was a ball in a tennis match, being batted back and forth again and again, unable to pick a side. Eventually he would fall onto one side of the court, and the player opposing the winner would lose. This battle would come to an end, but at what cost? Who would have to pay the price for him to finally pick a side?

That treacherous word floated around Keith's brain until he could recite it backwards. It had plagued him since he'd begun hunting, been whispered into his ear until he'd begun to believe its implication himself. But Lance wasn't a monster. Keith wasn't sure of much anymore, but he was adamant that Lance wasn't what Shiro claimed him to be. He was gentle and loved, and he was good. Better than Keith in so many ways.

Lance wasn't a monster. Keith was sure of it.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: **Minor Character Death**

Keith woke with his nose still buried in his pillow, exhaling softly against he fabric. The events of the night before came flooding in along with the early morning sunlight, making him groan in dismay. The familiar aroma of breakfast filtered through the cracks of his bedroom door. Of course Shiro had picked _today_ to start work late.

In true Sunday fashion, after a brief shower Keith dressed in loose fitting jeans and one of his older sweaters, picking at the loose threads of the well-loved, tattered fabric. He unlocked his bedroom door, pulling it open with a slow creak and glancing around the hall, half expecting to find Shiro camped outside. But he could hear him pacing around the kitchen below, a small glance over the banister revealing him warming up oatmeal in a pan.

He turned to face Keith with a stoic expression as his brother traipsed down the stairs, fingers curling around the end of the banister as he balanced on the final step, as if waiting for permission to enter. Shiro glanced away from him without a word, simply filling his bowl with oatmeal and retreating to the living room in silence.

Keith sighed, shuffling into the kitchen to retrieve a banana, peeling the skin back before taking a solemn bite, wolfing it down in his own company. He could hear the morning news buzzing in the living room, which did nothing to help his somber mood as it listed off everything currently wrong with the world. He peeped through the doorway to where Shiro was sat on the couch, eating his breakfast with his eyes fixed to the screen.

Keith rested his arm against the hollow arch connecting the two rooms, letting his presence be known. He stared at his brother earnestly, shuffling in place and curling his arms around himself protectively. Shiro continued to ignore him, until Keith finally cleared his throat, the noise sounding over the TV, drowning out the announcements.

His brother glanced over to him expectantly, and Keith's mouth twitched anxiously as he spoke.

"I don't want to lose you."

There was a beat of silence before Shiro huffed through his nose, squeezing his eyes shut. Keith continued to stare openly at him from the door, awaiting his reply with bated breath.

"Then _finish your mission."_ Shiro said severely, reaching towards the coffee table and tossing Keith a plain brown file placed on top of it. Keith gave his brother a questioning glance before turning the cover, immediately casting his gaze away when he was met with a pair of lifeless eyes and a bloody red bite just below the jaw of the girl in the photograph.

"She was murdered last night, in the same province as the McClain household." Shiro announced, standing to carry his bowl through to the kitchen, "I want you to investigate."

Keith's eyes followed him as he padded over to the sink, blinking back to the photograph for a second.

"You think _Lance_ did this." Keith accused incredulously.

"Him, or one of his family."

Keith shook his head, "No. He told me his family have never killed. It must have been someone else."

Shiro turned to him sharply, wearing a scowl.

"And it didn't occur to you that he might be _lying?"_

"He _isn't_ a murderer."

Shiro slammed his bowl down, making Keith jump as he spun to him fiercely, radiating fury.

"If you have any common sense, you will do as I tell you and go downtown to the crime scene. Maybe reminding yourself of what people like Lance do will help you come to your senses." He ordered, "You are my brother, and I love you. But I'll be damned if I let this continue."

Keith's gaze honed sharply in on his brother as he stepped forwards, glaring at Shiro with an expression that almost seemed feral.

"Why are you so fucking _stubborn?"_ Keith shouted, jabbing his finger into Shiro's chest, his brother reeling back in surprise at Keith's uncharacteristic outburst, “You can't even _try_ to believe that maybe not all vamps are bad? That deep down, they're just like us?"

Shiro's eyes flashed and he growled, "I am _not_ a murderer."

Keith laughed, "Yes you _are!_ Both of us have killed people, some of whom could have been innocent, because somehow we convinced ourselves it was the right thing to do. But the McClains? Lance? They aren't like us, they just want to _live_ without the constant fear of being killed for something that they can’t even _control.”_

He snatched the file from the island, grabbing his keys and storming towards the door.

"I'm going to the crime scene and I'm going to _prove_ to you that the McClains aren't the ones behind this."

Shiro shook with rage as he watched his little brother flee the house, hearing the rumble of his bike moments later as the tires screeched against the concrete, and Keith sped far away from him.

As Keith slammed the door shut he pulled out his phone, tapping out a quick message to Lance alerting him that he was on his way, before shoving his helmet over his head. He paid even less attention than usual to the signs adorning the side of the road, speeding in the direction of Lance's house and the crime scene. He gritted his teeth, fists squeaking against the rubber handles as he turned the throttle full thrust, whizzing past houses and corner stores until he finally reached Lance's neighborhood.

This time the neat front lawns were absent of any barbecues or running, squealing children. Most houses had no cars outside, or held the residing families behind locked doors, awaiting their turn to be questioned by the police roaming the street. Keith spotted a few neon clad officers on a few porch ways, scribbling in their notepads or mumbling into their radios. Keith saw a hand fumble with the curtains as he pulled up outside the McClain household, resting his helmet against his waist as he approached the front door.

A girl who looked only a little younger than Lance opened the door, looking Keith up and down. She sighed, turning to the staircase with a lackluster expression.

"Lance! Tu novio está aquí!" She called up to the second floor of the house, a hint of boredom lacing her tone.

"Boyfriend?" Another voice sounded from inside the house, moments later a beautiful woman with a head of curly blonde hair appearing in front of him, holding the same dark haired baby as before in her arms, "Lance has a-? Oh..." Her eyes widened.

The other girl disappeared, fluttering her fingers at Keith with a smirk before heading upstairs. The petite, blonde woman continued to scrutinize Keith with her alarmingly green eyes.

"You must be Keith..."

Keith swallowed, nodding his confirmation. She stepped aside, puling the door further open.

"Lance is just getting dressed. Come wait in the living room."

Keith ducked inside with an anxious twitch to his fingers. He followed the woman through to the room to their left, eyes fixing on the couch he'd seen Lance collapse onto just last night. Instead of Lance, though, the little blonde girl he'd seen before was perched on the edge, holding a purple crayon and sipping at a juice box. She and the woman in front of him were startlingly identical.

He watched as the woman placed the baby next to the little girl, fondly stroking over their hair with a smile.

"Um, are you Ana?"

The woman turned round to him, cocking her head, "Ah, no... I'm Camila. Lance's sister in law."

Keith swallowed, remembering her as the wife of the man he'd met the night before. She was human, he distantly recalled, but if she was as fiercely protective as her husband, it was in Keith's best interest to stay as close to the door and as far away from the two he presumed to be her children as possible.

"Oh, sorry..."

"It's fine, there are a lot of us to keep track of." She smiled, albeit a little strained, "Ana doesn’t visit much, unfortunately... Lance must have told you a lot about us to have mentioned her."

She seemed understandably nervous. Keith shrugged nonchalantly. The last thing he wanted to do was make her feel any kind of hostility, not when he was in a house with her relatives, all of whom were vampires that could tear his throat out or drain all his blood in seconds.

"I guess... he seems to really love you guys so I'm pretty sure he talks about you to anyone he meets." He assured her, seeing her shoulders sag.

"That sounds like Lance." She huffed with amusement.

They both turned at the sound of the stairs creaking. Lance appeared a second later, freshly washed and looking noticeably healthier than Keith had ever seen him. His naturally caramel colored skin had returned to normal, the pale, damp flush he'd been sporting the night before gone completely. As his eyes met Keith's, the young hunter could sense the tension gathering between them. It wasn't angry, or lustful. Just uncomfortable.

"Hi..." Lance began, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Hey, you ready?" Keith cleared his throat.

"Uh- yeah." Lance grabbed his jacket from the hook beside the door, stepping past Keith to kiss the two children goodbye, "I'll be back later, Cam." He hugged his sister in law. Keith saw her whisper something to him, giving him an assuring squeeze to the bicep before releasing him.

"Tell mamá I'll cook dinner tonight." He said with a goodbye wave, before following Keith out the door, slamming it shut behind him. Camila sighed as Veronica entered the room, holding a spoon and peanut butter. Camila pushed the curtains aside, watching as Keith and Lance walked out of sight. Veronica joined her, the two girl’s eyes trained on the boys as the shuffled along in silence.

"I can't tell if he's in love or just stupid." Camila huffed.

"Stupid. He's definitely stupid." Ronnie grinned.

———————❖———————

Keith had expected that the sudden shift in his relationship with Lance would result in the strain he felt now, but he hadn't expected it to be so stifling. As they trudged down the quiet road, past the barren houses and hauntingly silent front gardens, Lance didn't make any effort to look or talk to him. He just kept walking ahead of Keith, eager to arrive at their destination. The few minutes stroll from his house felt like an hour long trek through a snow storm with the terse air between them.

Despite feeling much better after drinking from Keith, now Lance had it stapled to the front of his mind that all this was only temporary. Soon enough Keith would remember who he was, who they both were, and leave him like he should have done in the beginning. Sure Keith would find it difficult at first - they were bonded after all - but at least he would live. It wouldn’t be long before their seperation killed Lance.

Keith's quietness did nothing to ease his anxiety. Every one of his silent footsteps reminded Lance that he'd trained himself to walk like that, as light as feather so his prey wouldn't hear him approach. Even the way he stayed behind Lance, refusing to ever have his back turned to the vampire, made his fists clench and his teeth grind together.

Noticing Lance become tenser and tenser, Keith stopped, waiting for Lance to turn to him.

"This is weird." The hunter huffed, "Can you just say something, please?"

"Like what?" Lance asked gruffly.

"I don't know. Don't you wanna come up with a plan for how we're gonna deal with this?"

Lance cocked his brow, blinking down at Keith, "This being...?"

"Y'know," Keith mumbled, "How often are you gonna need my blood from now on?"

Lance sighed and began walking again, tossing his head to get his fringe out of his face. Keith matched his pace so they were side by side, glancing up at the vampire curiously.

"In theory I can live off of one meal a week, but really, we need to feed every day or two to stay strong." He gazed down at Keith, "And you'll want it more, too."

Keith swallowed, nodding hesitantly.

"What happens if you don't drink enough?"

Lance frowned, "You _saw_ what happens. And though it's worse for me, you won’t be all that hot either, mullet. You'll crave for my bite almost as much as I'll crave for your blood."

Keith chewed anxiously at his lip.

"I... I can't do it too often. Shiro... Shiro already knows you bit me. I had to beg him not to come kill you." Keith saw Lance's eyes widen fearfully, "I won't let him hurt you or your family, you have my word. But if I keep turning up with my wrist bandaged up, it'll only be so long before he snaps."

Lance's mouth formed a concerned grimace. Keith stared up at the vampire, feeling the worry wafting off of him, taking him by surprise. It was like Lance's sudden wave of anxiousness was enveloping him too.

"Every four or five days, at school." Keith said firmly, "I don't think I can pull off doing it more than that."

"And if it's a weekend?"

"We can meet somewhere private."

"Fine." Lance agreed, walking ahead of Keith as the word slipped past his lips, tinged with resentment. And Keith could understand why. Lance had been waiting to meet his soulmate his whole life, and Keith was certain he didn't even come close to what Lance had envisioned.

"Why did you even ask me to come with you? You're clearly uncomfortable being around me." Lance grilled the hunter, slowing his pace and staring expectantly at the side of his face.

"Because Shiro thinks your family are the ones who murdered this girl last night." Keith said honestly, glaring down at his feet, "And I know they aren’t. I need you to help me find proof. You know more about this than me, if anyone can figure out who did it, it's you."

They turned the corner down a road holding a few shops and bars, equally as barren as the rest of the neighborhood. Keith spotted the police tape at the end of the road immediately, speeding his pace until he and Lance were at the border of the crime scene. The scent of blood hung thick in the air, leaving a metallic taste on Keith's tongue.

"Hi, Thace." Keith greeted the officer stationed near the tape, who lifted the yellow barricade to allow Keith and Lance to pass under it, giving Lance only a curious visual inspection before nodding him through.

"She's around the corner. Be careful, it's pretty messy." 

"Thanks." Keith nodded to the officer before guiding Lance down the alley.

Lance stared after him blankly.

"You have friends in high places, huh?"

Keith shrugged, "He and Shiro are old friends. He's one of the few people who knows about what we do. He lets us deal with the vampire cases in the area."

Lance nodded slowly as they rounded the corner. Keith winced as they approached the body sprawled over the floor, resisting the urge to gag as his gaze dragged over her. Whatever vampire had killed her hadn't just drained her of her blood- there were two sharp, deep blade marks running up her arms and cheeks, creating bloody trenches in her skin that exposed the dehydrated muscle and hollow arteries beneath. Keith crouched down next to her, finding her eyes still open. Nobody had even had the humanity to close them.

As he slid the lids slowly shut, he noticed Lance was suddenly absent from his side, hovering with a grave expression at the bend of the alley.

"She's a vampire." He said gravely, earning a perceptive glance from Keith.

"What? How do you-?”

"The building next to this alley is a vampire bar. Nyma was one of the bartenders." Lance's hand trembled as he joined Keith at the blonde girl’s side, running his hand over the dark skin of her hand, stroking the few spots turned creamy white from her vitiligo. She was beautiful.

"She... we were friends."

Keith's mouth parted and his eyes tilted in sympathy as Lance gritted his teeth, running his fingers over the carvings in her arm and face, raising suddenly and wiping the crusty blood from his hands.

"You're looking for a guy called Lotor. He's a regular at the bar." Lance sniffed, hands still trembling, "He's nameless. I've only seen one of his victims before this, but her arms and face were carved up just like this."

He stepped over Nyma's body, pacing hurriedly towards the end of the alley.

"Lance, wait." Keith sprung up, rushing after him and grabbing his hand.

Lance shrugged him off violently, leaning against a near wall with ragged breath. Keith froze when he saw Lance's eyes, hooded by the floppy tendrils of his hair but glowing through in the same yellow Keith had seen in the hallway weeks ago. Keith stepped back, but stayed near.

"What?" Lance growled, "Aren't you gonna run away?"

"No." Keith said solemnly, "I don't turn my back on friends."

Lance scoffed, "We're friends now, are we?"

"I don't know, Lance, what the hell would you call this? Cause I'm pretty sure we're the only two people on Earth in this situation." Keith scowled, placing his hand on his hip, "I'm sorry about your friend, and I promise I'll help you find this Lotor guy. But first you should go home, calm down a little."

"I can't," Lance pushed himself of the wall with a sniff, "She has a mate. They have a son, but I don't know if Rolo's bond to Nick will be able to keep him alive. If not I need to find his body before the cops do."

"I'll come with you-"

"No, just... just go home, Keith. Tell your brother you were right." Lance sucked on his teeth, turning to the hunter gravely, "And be careful. Lotor isn't someone you wanna mess with."

Keith opened his mouth to protest, but Lance took off moments later. He was gone from Keith's sight in a flash, leaving him alone in the alley.

Keith trudged back to Lance's house on his own, retrieving his bike from the driveway and turning it back in the direction of his house. He spotted Lance’s niece in the window, watching him studiously. She offered him a little wave, which he hesitantly returned, before speeding away from the house full of vampires.

Shiro was waiting for him in the front room, hands folded in front of him. Keith hoisted his helmet onto its hook, tossing his keys onto the kitchen counter before shuffling into the lounge.

Shiro's head snapped up to him the moment he entered, eyes blazing with anger. He stood and paced over to Keith, who flinched as a phone was shoved into his chest.

"Thace called. Apparently you brought someone along with you to the crime scene?" Shiro growled, "What the _hell_ were you thinking, taking a vampire to the site of a murder? For all we know Lance could have been the one-"

"I told you, Lance didn't do this." Keith scowled, shoving past his brother, "The victims name was Nyma. She worked at a vampire bar- no I won't tell you where. She was a vamp, and close friends with Lance. She had a husband, and a son, and the guy that killed her wasn't Lance, or _any_ of the McClains. His name is Lotor and apparently this isn’t his first victim." Keith stared at his brother fiercely without wavering, "And I know all of this because _Lance_ told me."

He reached for his school bag, hoisting the hefty book Lance had given him out of its confines and dropping it onto the coffee table with a thud. Shiro followed its descent with his gaze, arms folded defensively.

"We've been wrong about vampires all this time. They're cursed. They didn't _ask_ for any this. And they're being killed by nameless vampires too. A child lost his mother today, and maybe his father, as well. They're losing family just like we did."

Shiro's eyes flickered resentfully as Keith lifted his bag over his shoulder, "I’m not completing this mission. And if you come anywhere near Lance or his family, then I promise, you won’t ever see me again." The implications of his words should have weighed heavily down on him but instead he felt light, and determination set in.

Shiro called after him as he sprinted up the stairs to his room, slamming his door shut. He began stuffing his bag with all his clothes and other essentials he'd need. He tapped out a message to Allura before tossing his phone in with the rest of his stuff. His bag pulled down on his shoulder as he waited patiently in his room, knee jogging as he tapped his foot anxiously against the floor.

When the door bell finally rang, he rushed downstairs to get it before Shiro. Allura wore a sympathetic smile as he wrenched the door open, face flushed. She took Keith's bag, squeezing him on the shoulder before leading him towards her car.

"You too?"

They turned at the sound of Shiro's broken whisper, meeting eyes that were filled with hurt as he gazed at his best friend. Allura cocked her head remorsefully.

"You're on the wrong side this time, Takashi."

He stared after the only family he had as they ducked into Allura's car and pulled away with a screech, leaving Shiro well and truly alone in the threshold of his front door.


	11. Chapter 11

The moment Keith and Allura arrived at her apartment, she pulled him into a tight embrace. He let his bag fall to the floor and squeezed her firmly in return, exhaling into her silky hair.

"I know you're confused, but you've made the right choice." She whispered reassuringly as he began to tremble, finally realizing what he'd just done. Shiro would most likely never speak to him, or Allura, ever again. But for the first time in a while, Keith was sure in his decision.

He skipped school for the next three days. He lounged around Allura's apartment, watching TV and trying his hardest not to think about Lance. There was a strange feeling zipping through his veins, and it only became stronger as the days passed. The bite mark, though mostly healed, began to ache, and every touch to the sensitive skin made him flush.

"It's probably because of your connection to Lance," Allura informed him on Wednesday, when he asked what the cause might be, "He told you that you'd need his bite like he'd need your blood. This is your body telling you it's time to feed him again."

"Maybe. I haven't seen him since Sunday..." Keith mumbled, "Though he probably doesn't want to see me."

Allura stared down at him for a perceptive second, before stepping over to the door and grabbing Keith's jacket, throwing it so it hit him squarely in the chest. He blinked up at her in surprise.

"Well, lucky for you I'm heading over to the McClains to check on Luis right now." She smiled triumphantly, "So you can come with me, and feed Lance while I'm treating his brother."

Keith's eyes widened, "Are you nuts? His whole family hate me; there's no way they'll leave me alone with him."

Allura cocked her brow, "Why do you need to be alone?"

Keith opened his mouth to reply, snapping it shut immediately after with a blush.

"It's... intimate." He mumbled, nosing into his knees as they folded shyly against his chest, "I don't know how to explain it, but... it's like everything else disappears. It's weird, yet... it isn’t awful."

Allura chuckled, "Well I'm sure his family don't hate you. You and Lance are soulmates, and like it or not you're going to need to be near him more and more." She tilted her head quizzically, "It's been four days since you fed him at the planetarium. He needs to drink, so you're going to come with me and do it."

Not seeing Lance for the past three days had left him with somewhat of a... _craving_ for his presence. More and more he found those blue eyes popping up in his dreams, tormenting him night and day, stirring that buzz in his bloodstream every time they surfaced in his brain. And he still had so much to ask... it wouldn't hurt to see Lance, he supposed.

He sighed gruffly, yanking his hoodie on and shuffling into the hall, past a triumphant Allura. She linked her arm through his, leading him downstairs and into her car parked outside. Keith hastily buckled his seat belt, knowing fully well the way Allura drove when she was excited. As he suspected, they arrived at the McClain's house in barely ten minutes, and he could have sworn he smelled burnt rubber wafting off the wheels when he exited the car.

She gave him a final, reassuring squeeze before pulling him up the driveway and rapping three times on the door, the flimsy wood shaking on its hinges at the force of the knock. Rosa opened the door again, surprisingly absent of any children for once, but wearing her usual pinny stained with food. Her hair was even more unruly than usual now that it had been pulled from its ponytail, fanning around her head in mountainous curls.

"Allura! And... Keith, I didn't expect to see you here." Her mouth popped open in surprise when she spotted the brooding teen stood behind Allura, who waved awkwardly at her in reply. To his surprise, she smiled, stepping aside to let the duo inside.

"Luis is outside waiting for you, Allura. Keith, Lance is in his room." She gestured up the stairs, "It's at the end of the hall. You're welcome to go up and see him, if you'd like."

Keith blinked, turning towards the stairs with a slow nod.

"Oh, okay... thank you." He gave the mother of five a small smile before beginning his ascent to the second floor of the stairs. Rosa cleared her throat to capture his attention, giving him a motherly look.

"Keep the door open." She instructed him.

Keith blushed, nodding sheepishly before continuing up the stairs. Just as Rosa had told him, the room at the end of the hall was definitely Lance's. He could see all the blue through the crack of the door, and there was singing seeping through the opening, and a gentle guitar melody accompanying it. He approached the door slowly, dazed as the soft tone of Lance's voice hummed throughout the house.

The door creaked as he pushed it open, and Lance's startling blue eyes landed on him. There was a guitar laxly balanced in his lap, and his fingers were hovering over the strings. He looked up in surprise, slowly lowering the instrument to the floor.

"Keith? What are you doing here?" He raised an inquisitive eyebrow. Keith shuffled inside the room, closing the door a little but leaving it open an inch, as promised.

"I came with Allura," He replied, "I'm... um... staying with her, for a little while."

"Oh." Lance blinked bewilderingly.

"Yeah, I just need to get away from the house." Keith rubbed at his arm nervously, "Have you been... okay?"

Lance shrugged, curling his legs up so Keith could balance on the edge of his bed.

"I guess. What about you?"

"I've been... adjusting." Keith said slowly, "Shiro, he... he was furious. I don't know if he'll ever speak to me again."

Lance's lips thinned remorsefully and he ducked his head, "I'm sorry..."

"It's fine. I'm glad it happened," Keith said firmly, "It's better he know the truth, right?"

"Right." Lance's smile was bittersweet.

"Did you find Rolo?" Keith wondered in a gentle tone.

Lance exhaled, picking at a loose thread of his shirt, frowning down at his lap.

"Yeah. Thankfully he survived, but it was rough for a few days. That's why I haven't been in class, I've been looking after Nick. I only got home yesterday."

"Oh..." Keith said softly, "I haven't been in either."

Lance grinned, "Pidge and Hunk probably made their own assumptions."

"Probably." Keith smirked up at him and they chuckled together, "But at least Nick still has his dad. I'm sorry, again, about Nyma."

"Thanks, I guess..." Lance trailed off, scowling up at the ceiling, "Nyma didn't deserve to die. She had some mixed morals, sure, but after she met Rolo she really turned things around."

The feeling of a warm palm on his forearm startled Lance back into the room as his gaze snapped to Keith's, meeting an expression that was surprisingly soft.

"You look pale." Keith observed, inching closer, "Do you need to drink?"

Lance hesitated for a second as Keith shuffled towards him, already hitching his sleeve up to the crook of his elbow. Lance swallowed at the sight of Keith's flushed, pale skin, taking hold of his arm to push it away.

"I'm okay."

Keith cocked his head, brow furrowed, "It's been four days, you look sick. It's alright, Lance, I don't mind."

"You're not food, Keith." Lance growled, "Why are you even here? Surely you don't _want_ this?" He gestured to his wrist.

Keith leaned back in surprise, "I'm here because I give a shit whether you live or die. After everything, I'm not gonna let you starve yourself, idiot." He thrust his hand forwards, "So take it."

Lance's eyes wavered apprehensively as he hesitantly wrapped his hand around Keith's wrist, bringing it to his lips. Just like last time he pressed a gentle kiss against the skin. It made Keith shiver. He cursed this tender side of Lance for being able to make him feel so dainty, wincing when at the familiar feeling of sharp fangs plunging into his skin.

It was noticeably different to the first time. Lance held more control over himself, so drank with less eagerness. The pleasure built slower, but soon enough that same vibration began beneath the surface of Keith's skin. Lance held his arm firmly against his mouth, though a drop of blood still escaped his lips, trailing down to his jaw.

Keith mindlessly wiped it away, breath hitching when Lance's gaze snapped up to him at the soft touch of his thumb. Once again his eyes were illuminated, sparkling in the sunlight that slowly dragged up over the horizon, painting the room gold. Color began returning to Lance's face, and the spidery veins in his eyes disappeared. He looked ethereal, with his skin and eyes aglow, the feeling of his lips against Keith's skin far more pleasurable than he thought it should have been.

Keith squirmed slightly as Lance sucked harder, but managed to stroke the fingers of his free hand through the locks of brown hair. His strength was waning again, but this time Lance noticed straight away. The tingles of warmth prickling through Keith subsided as Lance retracted his fangs, but Keith could still feel his presence, like a warm hand brushing over his face, down his spine and over his legs.

"Thanks." Lance breathed against him. It was only then Keith realized that in the past few minutes he'd slid into Lance's lap, and had pressed himself tightly against him. His breath caught in his throat as he locked eyes with Lance, watching as the luminescent blue slowly ebbed away, leaving behind the wavering oceans Keith had grown accustomed to. Lance seemed startled when he realized just how close Keith was.

He cleared his throat, leaning back to shuffle out of Lance's lap, but strong hands held him there, refusing to let him go. When his eyes snapped back to Lance there was something Keith didn't recognize glinting in his eye. They were only a breath’s width from each other, and every few seconds Lance's gaze would flutter to Keith's lips and back, his face edging closer and closer, until Keith was about to fall back onto the mattress.

And that’s when Veronica entered.

"Lance! Mami says you have to- oh dios mio!" She yelped as she kicked her way inside, eyes landing on their promiscuous position. The two boys sprung apart, Keith almost rolling clean off the bed in his effort to get as far away from Lance as possible. Ronnie slapped her palm over her eyes, shielding them from the blushing pair.

"Mom says Keith has to come down, Allura's going to take him home." Her eyes were covered but her smirk was prominent as she swung the door shut behind her, darting back into the hallway.

They stayed frozen for a moment before Keith pulled the sleeve of his hoodie over his wrist and shakily pulled himself to his feet. Lance sprung up to hold him upright as his blood began fully circulating again and he felt himself teeter, his hand firmly wrapping around Keith's bicep. Keith pulled it away the moment his dizziness faded, the skin there tingling long after Lance let go.

"I'm fine..." He murmured.

Lance frowned, "But-"

"Seriously," Keith blinked at him sharply, "I'm fine, just drop it.”

Keith fled the room swiftly, hearing Lance's footsteps follow him apprehensively as he made his way downstairs, fighting away the spots blurring ahead of him. It wasn't just the loss of blood that had his mind spinning. Lance's close proximity had stolen his breath away, and he was desperately trying to retain it, inhaling heavily through his nose.

Rosa and Allura were waiting for them at the bottom of the staircase. Veronica was there too, leaning against the door of the kitchen with a knowing grin spread over her lips. Keith glared at her as she made a kissing expression, pursing her lips exaggeratedly.

Rosa smiled up at Keith and Lance fondly, noticing that the color had returned to Lance's cheeks. She pinched them affectionately, before turning to Keith.

"Lance's papá is in town next week and the whole family is coming round. You're welcome to join us for dinner, Keith. I'm sure Lorenzo would love to meet you."

Both Lance and Veronica went slack mouthed, gazing incredulously at their mother as she smiled openly towards Keith, who rubbed his arm apprehensively.

"I-I wouldn't want to intrude..."

Rosa batted her hand dismissively, "We're used to having extra guests for dinner. We'd love to have you."

He was surprised when she squeezed the hand wrapped around his arm reassuringly, managing to cease his nervous tremble.

"Isn't that right, Lance?" She turned to her son expectantly, who blubbered like a fish.

"I-I mean, sure." He grappled, and she smiled brightly.

"Then it's settled! Come round next Saturday, I'll cook something nice."

"That's very kind, Rosa." Allura rested her hand on Keith's shoulder, "I'll make sure to drop him off."

After a few short and sweet goodbyes, Keith and Allura ducked back into her car, heading back to her apartment. The three McClains watched them go from the door, Ronnie bursting into hearty laughter the moment the car sped away, turning to her brother humorously.

"Man, you're so screwed..."

———————❖———————

"I don't get it, why do I have to meet his whole family? It's not like we're dating."

Keith grumbled with a pint of ice cream cradled against his chest as he and Allura binged their way through Friends reruns that night, curled together under her pink fluffy blanket. She looked down at the brooding boy fondly, snatching the ice cream from him, delving in with her own spoon while he pouted.

"No, you're _mates,_ which is even more than that. I don't think you've quite realized it yet, Keith, but you and Lance are bonded for life," She spoke stickily through her ice cream, "Your feelings for him are bound to grow."

Keith blinked, reminiscing on that afternoon in Lance's room. He'd felt so safe, entirely wrapped up in the bliss of Lance's bite, that if not for Veronica's interruption, he didn't know what could have commenced on Lance's bed. He'd wanted to kiss him, and Lance had wanted him too. He’d seen the lust reflected in his eyes.

"Well fate is a bitch and it's very, _very_ wrong on this one." He complained, "Other than plain attraction, there's nothing between me and Lance."

"But you _are_ attracted to him?" Allura probed.

Keith glared up at her, causing her to chuckle.

"Look, I'm not saying things are gonna develop right away. You just cut things off with your brother. It's alright to be a little resentful right now." She assured him, "But like it or not, you're stuck with Lance for life. You can choose to keep it platonic, but it'll be difficult. Like you said, when a vampire drinks from their soulmate, it's an incredibly intimate sensation."

Keith blushed, remembering the warmth that had collected in his head, chest and between his legs when Lance had bitten him. It was unlike anything he'd ever experienced before, and it was nestled at the back of his brain, surging forwards whenever he had a clear mind. Allura had noticed Keith's perpetual blush since he'd returned from the McClain’s house, rearing its head every time Lance's name was mentioned.

"Surely there are _worse_ people to be bounded to for eternity." She reasoned. He huffed admittedly, fiddling with the blanket over his lap with his thumb and forefingers.

"I guess..."

She rolled her eyes, "You guess? Lance is probably the best candidate for you to spend your life with."

"Why don't _you_ date him then?" Keith scowled, nudging Allura and causing her to scoff. She waved dismissively, stabbing her spoon back into the ice cream and passing it back to Keith. The voices on the TV continued to rumble out of the box, accompanied by scheduled laughter, but Keith wasn't paying any attention.

"Lance is sweet, but definitely not my type." She sniffed, "Besides, I’m not his soulmate, _you_ are. He balances you out quite nicely, don't you think?"

Rationally, Keith supposed she was right. As he fixated his gaze back on the TV set, he mulled it over in his head. Lance was definitely everything he wasn't- charismatic, optimistic... tall... though anyone would seem tiny compared to the vampire's great height. And his presence made Keith feel calm in a way he never had before. Like anything in the world could happen but he'd be alright, because Lance would be at his side.

It was so sentimental that he felt like gagging just thinking it. When had he become such a sap?

"Has Shiro contacted you at all?" Allura asked as he shoved another mournful spoonful of ice cream into his mouth. He shook his head.

"No." He mumbled around his spoon, "You?"

Her mouth twitched regretfully, "No... how long do you think he's gonna stay mad at us?"

"Forever, if he's still as stubborn as before." Keith grumbled, "He's hated vampires for almost ten years. It's unlikely he'll ever stop."

"You did." Allura rationalized.

"It was... different." Keith rubbed his neck, "Shiro doesn't know Lance like I do, and there's no way he'll ever want to sit down and talk with him. Unless he can figure out they aren't monsters on his own, he won't ever come around."

"He will, once he realizes that losing you isn't worth it." Allura patted his hand fondly, "Just give it time. You're his brother, first and foremost, and no matter what he says, he'll always love you, Keith."

He nodded solemnly as she turned to the clock, her eyes widening.

"It's late - and you're _going_ to school tomorrow." She insisted, "Go sleep."

"Yes, mom." Keith rolled his eyes, giving a mock-salute as he stole the garish blanket from her lap, swathing it around his body and shuffling into the spare bedroom Allura had granted him, resembling a floating, furry pink blob. She chuckled affectionately as he disappeared into his room and collapsed onto the bed in a heap.

It didn't hit him how tired he was until his head hit the soft pillow beneath him. It was perfectly cool from the air wafting gracefully through the window, and smelled heavily of Allura. He clasped it tightly in his hand, kicking off his pants so he was lying in only his t-shirt and boxers. With the blanket draped over his legs he settled comfortably into the mattress, far softer than the one he had back home, though it lacked the familiar scent that comforted him at night.

He toyed with the hem of his shirt, remembering how it'd hitched up his abdomen when Lance had curled his fingers into it. His breath halted at the memory and he quickly shoved the shirt back down, curling his arms around his stomach. He hated the way his pulse quickened at the mere thought of Lance, or every time his breath hit his face, or his lips spoke his name. This level of attraction to a person was unnatural, especially considering he and Lance had only known each other a few weeks.

Allura had been wrong when she'd said his feelings would develop for Lance, because they _already were,_ at a terrifying, exponential rate. Keith scorned fate for cursing him to feel this way. He'd been happy with carving out his own future, believing that he'd find the person he would be with forever on his own. That choice had been ripped away from him, and had caused his life to fall apart in a matter of weeks.

Because of Lance Keith's entire world had been flipped upside down. So why, _why_ couldn't he hate him?


	12. Chapter 12

Lance scolded his mother for days after she invited Keith for dinner. The moment the dark-haired hunter had left their house he'd turned to her in disbelief, while his sister smirked away adjacent to them.

"Ma, you want him to _meet dad?_ Are you insane?!" He asked incredulously.

Rosa placed her hand on her hip, turning to her son with a disapproving frown, making Lance shrink back.

"If he's going to be spending time here, your father will need to meet him." She said firmly.

"Dad _hates_ hunters. He won't even give Keith a chance." Lance said desperately, "I feel like I’m finally getting through to him, the last thing I need is our family scaring him off."

"Don't worry Lancey, we'll be nice." Veronica winked at him, receiving a dry look in return. Knowing his sister’s antics, she'd do whatever she could to make the evening go awry.

Rosa sighed, stroking her son’s cheek affectionately, "Your father just wants you to be happy. Keith seems like a nice boy- he's just a little misguided is all. I'm sure everything will be alright. It's just dinner, mi querido, maybe Keith will enjoy himself?" She reasoned.

"He's _shy_ mamá. There’s only one other person in his family. Don't you think meeting all of ours in one night will be a bit much for him?"

Veronica bit her lip, "He's kind of right, mami. Keith doesn’t exactly seem like the extroverted type."

Rosa waved her hand, "He's already met most of us. Your abuela can't make it, she lives too far away, and having him meet all your cousins at once would be too much for him, I agree, so it’ll be close family only. We all just want to get to know him better."

Lance ran his hand through his hair in distress, while he mother continued to stare at him reassuringly.

"It's so new. I don't wanna screw this up."

"If he hasn't left you for your mug, then I doubt he's gonna leave cause of a family dinner." Veronica grinned.

"Cállate, demonio." Lance growled.

"And it isn't like he’ll be held captive. If it gets too much, he can leave whenever he wants." Rosa nodded firmly, "Just give it a chance, mijo. Maybe you'll be surprised."

"I doubt it." Lance said gruffly.

"Ay, you need to be more positive, Lance." His mother scolded him, "Now come help me with dinner."

Despite his mother's assurances, Lance continued to worry for the entirety of the week, and into the next, as Saturday crawled closer and closer. His sister teased him endlessly, while he maintained nightly talks with Mateo that somehow did nothing to ease his anxiousness. He'd chewed off nearly all his thumbnail listening to his mother tell his father Keith would be joining them for dinner over the phone. Lance couldn't tell what his father thought of the matter, as he'd only responded with a gruff, understanding yes before changing the subject.

Furthermore, Keith seemed even more distant, if that was possible. The one class they shared together he spent drawing or fixated on the board, not retaining the information, just... looking distantly ahead. He still hung around with their group, but the words he uttered were far and few between, and never directed at Lance. The only time they'd spoken was Monday, when Keith had dragged Lance into the supply closet in their barren hallway, and shoved his wrist to his lips.

It'd been 5 days since their last rendezvous, and Keith's skin had begun to crawl all over. The moment Lance sunk his teeth into his arm it ceased, and he felt himself fully exhale for the first time in days. As soon as the tingling was gone, however, he pulled his arm away, blinking down at the floor before he got the chance to see his blood drip down Lance's chin. He began to bandage himself up in silence, while Lance leaned idly against the door.

"We shouldn't leave it that long again. You look like shit." Keith said dryly, and Lance knew he was being honest, not just trying to get under his skin. Not only had he paled, those spindly black veins had crawled back into his eyes and his lips had become cracked. He felt as awful as he looked, too, limbs creaking like he was eighty rather than nineteen, his stomach growling incessantly, earning him a few skeptical looks in his classes.

"Yeah well you're not looking too hot either, sweetheart." Lance grumbled. He’d observed Keith's trembling for the past few days, knowing it could only be due to one thing. He needed Lance's bite. Yet still he tried to fight his cravings. Although his body had stopped shaking, Lance could see the quiver of his fingertips as he struggled to wrap his wrist.

"Are you allergic to anything?" Lance asked as he took Keith's wrist in his hand, beginning to slowly wrap it in gauze and bandage. Keith gave him a quizzical look, staring down at where Lance held his arm, itching to pull away before the buzzing in his blood began again.

"No. Why?"

"Mom wants to know, for Saturday." He cleared his throat, "Are you okay with Cuban food?"

"Sure." Keith said nonchalantly.

"Cool..." Lance trailed off as he reached the end of the bandage, taping it down gently.

The moment it was in place Keith tugged his sleeve back down over his hand and darted out of the cupboard. Lance followed him, rolling his eyes at Keith's haughty attitude, taking long strides to match the hunter's quick pace.

"Mullet what the _hell_ is your problem?" He grabbed Keith's arm, flinching when Keith tugged it right back again, cradling his wrist against his chest.

"Nothing." He growled as Lance stepped back, glancing down at the floor.

"Are you... scared of me?" He asked.

Hearing Lance so quiet alarmed Keith. His gaze flickered around, unsure and never focusing in on one place, while his fingers quivered with the need to clench. Keith blinked up, shaking his head slowly.

"N-No. Not of you..." He trailed off, looking aside.

"Then what are you so afraid of? You've been ignoring me all week. Is it this stupid dinner? Cause you don't have to come if you don't want-"

"It isn't the fucking dinner, Lance. It's _this."_ Keith gestured between them, "This is happening so fast, and I don't know what to do to stop it!"

Lance's mouth parted in shock at Keith's sudden outburst. His arms had returned to wrap protectively round his middle, like he was embracing himself. For someone so strong, he seemed so small all of a sudden, shoulders hunched as if he'd surprised himself with his own yelling.

"I..." Lance grappled for the right words.

Keith shook his head, his arms falling to his sides, hands balling into fists.

"Forget it. I'll see you in class-" He began to turn, jumping when suddenly there was a hand grabbing hold of his.

"Keith, wait!"

Keith stared down at their joined fingers in surprise. Lance pulled his back immediately, though to his own surprise, Keith wished he wouldn't.

"I'm sorry this has happened to you. I'm sorry this is going so fast, and I'm _sorry_ about your brother. Everything has changed, it'd be weird if you _didn't_ feel angry. So I can deal with you hating me, okay? But please don't punish yourself." Lance said softly, "We'll do things at your pace from now on, okay? Just stop blaming yourself, because it was never in our control."

Keith stared stoically up at him, lips pressed into an anxious, thin line. Lance paused with bated breath, half expecting for Keith to just turn and walk away. But instead he nodded, his defensive fists finally going lax at his sides.

"Okay..."

Lance exhaled.

"And I don't hate you." Keith added gruffly, "So don't punish yourself either."

Lance gazed after him softly as Keith turned away, the door falling shut with a thud as he left Lance in the hallway.

———————❖———————

Despite the pair having seemingly smoothed things over, other than Thursday when Lance next fed, he didn't catch a glimpse of Keith again for the rest of the week. Keith skipped Astrophysics and dodged all invitations to go out with him, Pidge and Hunk. Saturday evening came around in a flash, the late afternoon sun filling their kitchen with warmth as the McClain family ran around in their usual state of disarray. Camila was chasing her children around, who had somehow managed to strip their clothes completely while her back was turned, and were running through the house clutching the potatoes Rosa was supposed to be using for dinner.

Meanwhile the other McClain kids were situated in the kitchen with their mother. Their father had arrived that afternoon, and after a warming reunion with his wife and children had retreated upstairs to nap. He was still asleep, now, leaving the rest of the family to prepare the house for dinner. Rosa and Luis stood by the stove, mixing beans and rice, while Lance, Veronica and Mateo set the table with their best plates and cutlery. Lance watched fondly as his siblings took turns flinging napkins at each other, placing a spoon down on the table slowly, staring at his warped reflection in the utensil.

"You okay, hermanito?" Mateo asked, noticing Lance had once again slipped into a solemn reverie. All the McClains had sensed Lance's nervousness building throughout the week, taking turns to talk and sit with his in his room, taking his mind off the occasion with video games and mango sorbet from the store down the street.

"Fine." Lance's smile was strained as his siblings approached him from both sides, placing their hands on his shoulder assertively.

"Aww, don't worry bro. I'm sure everything will be alright." Veronica tightened her fingers around his arm.

"Yeah, as long as Keith doesn't talk and/or make eye contact with dad, we should be fine." Luis sniped from the stove, yelping when his mother batted him over the head.

"Quiet, mijo, you aren't helping." She muttered, continuing to whirl her spoon around the pot in front of her.

"C'mon, they're mates. Soon enough Keith will stop being so emo and realize how awesome we are, and he and Lance can get married and adopt a bunch of stupid, emo babies." Luis said in his defense towards his brother, who scowled at him dryly.

"Don't be so grumpy, hermano. Considering what I saw in your room the other day, Keith is definitely warming up to you." Ronnie nudged him with her elbow, winking suggestively.

"What?" His mother cocked her brow, "What were they doing in his room?"

"Nothing!" Lance glared accusingly at his sister, "She walked in while I was feeding."

"Yeah, Keith was sat in his lap and they were all pressed together." Veronica smirked, sidling up to her brother, "Too bad I didn't walk in a minute later, they probably would have be making out."

"You're a disgusting person." Lance scowled.

"Mijo why didn't you say anything!" Rosa reprimanded him, "You told me Keith is still unsure about his feelings for you!"

"He is!" Lance insisted, "It's only when I feed. You know what it's like, ma, we just get lost in the feeling. As soon as it's over, though, he goes right back to hating me."

"Mierda." Ronnie scoffed.

"Shut it, niñita." Lance thwacked her on the forehead, earning a pout from the smaller girl, "Okay maybe _hate_ isn't the right word for it, but he doesn't feel the same way I do. I promised him I'd let him go at his own pace, and I intend to keep my word, so no teasing or making him uncomfortable tonight. Comprender?"

"Sí." Luis and Veronica grumbled in unison, turning back to their chores. Veronica joined her brother and mother at the stove, leaving Mateo and Lance to set the table. Lance's older brother sidled up to him.

"You're really mixed up about this guy, aren't you?"

Lance sighed ruggedly, running a hand through his hair as he straightened out the table cloth.

"Is it possible to hate and love somebody at the same time, Matty? Cause that's the point I'm at right now."

Mateo chuckled as he continued to place forks down next to plates, shrugging.

"In your situation, yes. You're in love with only a few parts of Keith, the parts that live up to the fantasy you've had of him since his name appeared on your wrist. Everything else, though, is brand new. It's natural to need some time to learn to love those bits, too."

Lance smiled at his brother softly as he spoke.

"That... actually kinda makes sense. Thanks, Matty."

Mateo nodded wryly, glancing around before turning closer to Lance. The urgency of his gaze made Lance pause in his task, as he glanced perplexedly at his brother.

"There was something else I wanted to talk about..." Mateo mumbled under his breath, "But you have to promise not to tell mom."

Lance frowned.

"Alright... what's up?"

Mateo glanced towards the stove. Rosa, Veronica and Luis were chatting idly away, ignorant of the sudden tension escalating between the brothers on the other side of the room. Curling his fingers around Lance's forearm Mateo pulled him through to the hallway, into a corner near the coats.

"Ana called." He whispered.

Lance sucked in a breath, eyes going wide as he gravely muttered his reply.

"When?"

"Last night." Mateo swallowed, "She says she's coming to visit with Marco next month."

Lance's gaze became sharply honed and he pursed his lips.

"No."

Mateo sighed begrudgingly, "Lance..."

"It's too soon." Lance hissed, stepping forwards and forcing Mateo to step back, jabbing a finger into his chest. Mateo winced at the impact, grabbing Lance's hand to firmly push it away from him.

"Lance, she hasn't been home in two years. She _misses_ us." Mateo pleaded with him.

"It isn't safe here." Lance insisted, "Nyma was killed barely a week ago. How can you even consider this?"

"She's our sister, and she wants to come home. It'll only be for a few days, a week, at most." Mateo insisted as turmoil raged on in Lance's blue eyes. Lance could see how desperate Mateo was to see his older sister. For a long time, it'd been only the two of them, until Lance had come along. To Mateo, Ana was his confidant, just as Mateo was to Lance.

"I get it Matty. You think I don't miss her?" Lance whispered under his breath, conscious of his siblings only a room away, "But you would never forgive yourself if something happened to her."

"We're strong enough to keep her safe." Mateo growled, "It's our whole family against Lotor and his clan."

"Yeah, cause going against Lotor worked out so well for us last time." Lance said coldly. Mateo's eyes flickered with hurt before he sighed, head drooping.

"I'm telling you to warn you, not to get your opinion. She's coming, and neither of us can convince her not to."

Lance's mouth twitched with anger, opening to argue, but before the words could even build in his throat the doorbell rang, echoing across the house. Both brothers head's snapped towards the source of the sound.

"That's Keith- we'll continue this later." Lance vowed to his brother as Ronnie came skipping out the kitchen, heading for the door.

"I'll get it!" She sing-songed, Lance following her to the door.

Thinking back, he should have sensed something was wrong the moment the doorbell went off. It was nestled in the bushes climbing up their house. Only a few people knew of it's existence, and there was no way Keith could have found it on his own. But he idly traipsed after his sister, only realizing his mistake as she swung the door open, gasping sharply.

The visitor was pale skinned, the color blending with the stark white of his hair. A smirk was painted over his face as he lounged against the door frame, eyes feral yellow and aimed down at Veronica as she gawked up at him. Lance grabbed his sister's shoulder, pushing her behind him the moment he laid eyes on the man behind the door.

"Ronnie, go get papi." He ordered as Lotor stood to meet his eyes, the few extra inches allowing him to loom over Lance. Veronica nodded blindly as the two vampires glared at each other, sprinting up the stairs behind her, grabbing Luis from the kitchen door on her way who had been watching the scene curiously.

"What the _fuck_ are you doing here, Lotor?" Lance hissed.

The vampire cocked his head, smiling at Lance wryly.

"Hello, Lance. It's been a while. How is your mother?" Lotor stepped forwards so he was toeing at the threshold of the house. Lance didn't hesitate to shove him backwards, stepping out of the house so they were standing face to face in the light of the porch.

"Come any closer and I'll rip your fucking head off," Lance seethed, "After what you did to Nyma, I should do it right now."

There were footsteps behind him and suddenly Mateo was at his side, eyes blazing and hands shaking in their effort to not wrap around Lotor's throat.

"Ana isn't here, Lotor, but our dad is. If I were you I'd piss off before Ronnie tells him you're here." Mateo growled. Lotor smirked, readying a reply, when there was the sound of a car engine behind him. All three vampires turned at the sound, spotting the blue jeep that had parked at the end of the drive. Lance's blood went cold when he caught sight of Keith, hopping out of the passenger's seat.

_’No... no, no, no, not now.’_

Lotor turned with his lip curled into a sneer, fixing Lance with a stare that was outright feral, doing nothing to thaw the ice chilling his insides. Lotor sniffed at the air, pupils dilating and an excited grin blooming over his lips. He blinked at Lance.

"You invited a snack."

———————❖———————

Keith huffed as Allura threw him the tenth shirt he'd been forced to try on that night, slipping into his room to get changed while protesting gruffly.

"Why do I have to dress up for a dinner where three kids are gonna be present?" He droned as Allura stepped in to look him up and down. After half an hour she'd accepted the black jeans Keith had chosen to wear, but he was due to be at the McClains any minute and still didn't have a suitable shirt to don.

"You want to make a good impression on his dad, don't you?" She hummed, shaking her head at the shirt, making Keith groan. She rifled through his final drawer, pulling out a grey sweater, long sleeved as he liked it and adorned with geometric black stripes.

"I haven't seen this before." She stated, and Keith shrugged.

"It was a Christmas present from Shiro. I forgot it existed."

Pulling one of Keith's many jackets from the loaded hook near his door, she tossed the two items of clothing at him. He glanced at the jacket. It was mostly black, but the top quarter was deep red. He pulled the shirt and jacket on begrudgingly, cocking his brow at her and outstretching his arms.

"Okay?"

Allura grinned.

"Perfect."

Keith exhaled in relief as she finally grabbed her keys, toeing on her shoes. Keith grabbed his own sneakers, shoving his feet into them before following her out the door and down to her car. She'd insisted on driving him, so the breeze on his bike wouldn't mess up his hair, which he'd decided to brush against his better judgement. It was even fluffier than usual, now, and he admitted that the battering wind probably wouldn't help.

Just as she turned the key Allura switched on the radio, her favorite Spice Girls CD booming through the speaker as she pulled out of the complex's lot. Keith shook his head with affection as she serenaded him the whole drive, even joining in at the few parts he knew. She played the songs so often, it was impossible for him not to have picked up a few lyrics.

She turned the music down as they crept further and further into Lance's neighborhood, her voice dying down into a hum. With the sun almost gone from the sky, Keith could see the light of day draining away to reveal the vibrant colors of sunset. Crickets chirped and mosquitoes buzzed, the street lamps flicking on to dimly add to the evening light.

He spotted a few families crowded round their dinner tables through open kitchen windows, talking cheerfully, siblings batting each other the head with cutlery. He found himself getting excited- it'd been so long since he'd last had a family dinner, and so far he'd found the McClains pleasant company. He'd had to suppress cracking a smile more than once in their presence.

There was just the small matter of impressing Mr. McClain.

Just like the other houses on the street, yellow light shone brightly from the windows of Lance's house, as well as the door, which Keith noticed was wide open. Sitting forwards, he spotted Lance and his brother out on the porch, their tanned skin illuminated by the harsh white spotlights above them.

"What's going on...?" Allura muttered as she pulled up, the two humans both catching sight of a head of white hair conversing with the brothers. The moment Allura stopped the car and Keith climbed out, all eyes turned to him, and a feeling a lot like fear instilled itself in his heart.

He'd never seen such a mix of horror and shock like the blend in Lance's eyes as his sights set on Keith, the hunter stepping around the side of the car and slowly beginning to approach them. Allura watched from her seat, fingers gripped tightly around the wheel. Both of them could sense the tension radiating from the porch, hanging thick around them.

“Go, Allura.”

“Keith-” She began to protest.

 _”Go.”_ He stressed, “He’s a vamp, it isn’t safe for you. Lance will take care of me, don’t worry.”

She seemed ready to protest again, but a final glance at the desperation in Keith’s eyes convinced her. She pulled away from the curb.

’Call me if anything happens.” She ordered, before speeding back down the street. Keith turned back towards the house, making towards it, resisting a shudder when his eyes met the startling yellow irises of the unknown man.

He halted in his advance to study the stranger. He was tall, taller than Lance, and undoubtedly a vamp. His skin was dark, a few shades deeper than Lance’s, but those eyes- there was no mistaking the eyes of a vampire. He was brought back to that moment in the hallway, when Lance had first revealed himself, or that time in the alley with Nyma, when his eyes had looked like that. Except this wasn't a brief moment. The vampire's eyes didn't flit between glowing and normal, they stayed solid gold and fixed on him like a predator.

"Keith..."

The hunter startled at the sound of his name leaving Lance's lips, blinking to the Cuban boy and swallowing thickly.

"Keith, stay back." Lance warned him, glaring at the vampire in front of him.

"Keith?" Keith heard the stranger say, "Don't tell me you've finally found your mate?"

Keith shuffled forwards despite the protesting glimmer in Lance's eyes, slowly stepping up the steps, past the foreign vampire to settle at Lance's side. In an instant he was pressed against Lance, the vampire's hand protectively pushing him behind him using his grip on his forearm.

"And he's _human..."_ The white haired man grinned gleefully, "He smells sweet. Like raspberries."

He reached out to touch Keith, the hunter finding himself frozen to the floor, rooted into the floor like the bole of a tree. Within the span of a breath Lance's hand shot up, clasping around the vampire's wrist just as his finger was about to brush Keith's cheek.

The man inhaled, eyes shimmering and snapping to Lance.

"Is that silver...?" He blinked down at Keith's hand, gaze snagging on the ring around his finger. Lotor cocked his brow, "A hunter?"

Lance stepped menacingly forward, pushing the vampire down the steps of the house.

 _"Leave."_ Lance said, pitching his voice low to hide the nervous shake in it, "Or we'll make you leave, and I can't guarantee it won't be in a body bag."

The stark truth in Lance's words made Keith shiver. From a boy that’d show little to no violent tendencies, his declaration took Keith unaware. The vampire smirked, raising his hands in surrender before backing away from the seething brothers. Just as he turned, a uttered his final, parting words.

"Tell Ana I came by."

"Rot in hell." Mateo seethed, stepping forwards, stopped in his tracks by Lance's palm on his chest. The three men watched as Lotor hopped onto a motorcycle parked opposite the house, speeding away with a small, teasing wave and a smile, teeth glinting under the street lamps.

Lance exhaled shakily as soon as he was out of sight, releasing his grip on Keith's arm. Mateo stomped back inside, leaving the two alone on the porch. Keith turned to Lance slowly, gazing up at the taut features of his face.

"Was that...?"

"Lotor." Lance replied firmly, "Yeah."

Keith released a surprised sound from the back of his throat as he was suddenly pulled into Lance, pressed tightly against his chest. He could feel the vampire quaking against him, opting to gently rest his palms on Lance's back, rather than instinctively pull away. Lance buried his face into Keith's neck, but not in a hungry way. He simply sighed against him, waiting for the adrenaline to fade.

As Lance inhaled he was filled with the scent of Keith which, to him, smelled nothing like raspberries. It was fresh, and smelled like safety, because to Lance, Keith was so much more than a meal.


	13. Chapter 13

Who knows how long they were stood in their embrace. Minutes, hours, it was all fluid. Keith concentrated on rubbing Lance's back, feeling it tense beneath his fingers. Lance continued to hold him tightly, breathing him in until they were interrupted abruptly by the sound of a gruff voice calling to them from the door.

"Lance."

The pair turned sharply. A man loomed over the threshold, neatly dressed with a well trimmed mustache resting on his upper lip. Keith knew immediately that it was Lance’s father. If his dominating stance didn't give it away, the familiar, piercing blue eyes Lance had inherited from him sure did. His hair was darker than any of his sons’, a similar color to Sebastian's inky locks, and combed neatly to the side. He watched Lance and Keith with his unnaturally intense gaze, arms folded defensively.

"Where is he?" Lorenzo growled at his son, looking out over the lawn expectantly.

"He's gone." Lance's arms slipped from around Keith and he turned to his father, "He left a minute ago."

Lorenzo grunted with displeasure.

"What did he want?"

Lance swallowed, glancing towards his feet.

"He's looking for Ana."

There was a beat of silence before Lorenzo solemnly nodded, stepping back into the house without a second glance at Keith.

"You boys come inside. It's cold, and dinner is almost ready."

Keith heard Lance release a short breath of relief the moment his dad disappeared into the kitchen, albeit short lived as barely a second later, Rosa whirled through the door in a motherly panic, fussing over the two teenagers with eyes brimming with worry.

"Are you alright?" She asked urgently as she cupped her son’s cheek, checking for any bruises. Lance batted her away affectionately, kissing the top of her head.

"I'm fine, mami."

"What about you?" She spun around to Keith, who jumped in response, "Did he see you?"

Keith glanced at Lance, who pursed his lips for a second before turning to his mother.

"Yeah. And he knows he's my mate." Lance mumbled regretfully. Rosa sucked in a breath, grabbing their hands to pull them into the house. Veronica and Luis watched from the bottom of the stairs, Luis’ hand tightly clasped with Camila’s, who calmly soothed him under her breath.

"Well he best stay the night then." Rosa said firmly.

"Mami, you know papá will never go for that." Lance rolled his eyes, "Besides, he knows Keith is a hunter, he saw his ring. He won't attack him."

"I know Keith is strong enough to protect himself, Lance, but if Lotor decides to bring his _clan..."_ Rosa bit her lip, "Keith wouldn't stand a chance. Lotor is insane and unpredictable. Who knows what he's planning this time?"

"Everything will be alright, mamá." Lance assured his mother, kissing her fingers tenderly, "We'll keep our family and Keith safe, but we can't keep him locked up from Lotor. He'll find a way to get to him anyway. He always does."

Rosa bit her lip, while Keith stepped forwards, raising his hand.

"Do I get a say in this?" He piped up.

"No." Lance and Rosa said firmly in unison.

Veronica chuckled, passing between the three of them, thwacking Lance on the head.

"Come on, idiotas, enough bickering. Let's eat."

Lance followed his sister begrudgingly, rubbing at his head with Keith right behind him. The kitchen was heated with the steam billowing from pots and pans on the stove, and crowded with people all taking their seats at the table. Lance and Keith claimed two seats near the middle of the table. They glanced towards each other, tension still crackling between them. Lance was still afraid, Keith could tell, so he soothed him the only way he knew how - he reached for his hand beneath the table, squeezing it firmly.

Lance blinked at him in surprise, before twining his fingers with Keith's and clutching his hand with the same soft force. He smiled before reluctantly releasing his palm and resting his elbows against the table.

"Luis, Elena! Cena está lista, pendejos!" Veronica yelled as she lifted the delicious smelling pan from the hob, bringing it to the table.

Rosa scowled, slapping Veronica up the back of her head as she passed.

"Language, niñita. Elena is 6." She scolded. Keith chuckled, despite his lackluster understanding of what Ronnie had even said in the first place. Luis and the little blonde girl Keith assumed was Elena came bounding into the kitchen, Luis hobbling behind a little on his crutches. Rosa and Ronnie circulated the table, loading up the neatly placed bowls on the table.

Keith's eyes widened as the steam from his bowl wafted up at him, it's aroma slightly spicy and insanely appetizing.

"Never had congri before?" Lance asked, a smile playing on his lips as he observed Keith’s awed expression.

Keith shook his head, just as Rosa and Veronica returned their pans to the sink and took their seats. Rosa sank into the chair opposite Keith, Lorenzo claiming the one next to her opposite Lance. The family all dug in, erupting into conversation around the table.

If the food smelled delicious, it tasted even better. Lance watched intently as Keith spooned rice and beans into his mouth, smirking with amusement as his eyes lit up. He’d barely finished his previous mouthful before he was shoving more food into his mouth, unaware of the eyes fixed on him from the seat next to him.

Veronica had also noticed Keith’s eager appetite, smirking and nudging Lance in the side.

"Ay, Lance, tell him he should slow down before he gets a bean lodged in his throat." She grinned. Luis glared up at her from his plate, kicking her with his thin leg from under the table.

"It was one time, Ronnie." He grumbled while Keith blinked up eyes flitting between Lance and his siblings.

"Let him be." Lance scolded his siblings, "He's never had Congri before."

"I take it you're enjoying it, yes?" Rosa asked him, eyes glittering humorously as she observed Keith. He nodded sheepishly.

"Y-Yes, it's delicious, Mrs. McClain."

Rosa scowled playfully, "It's Rosa, Keith, Mrs. McClain is my mother-in-law."

"S-Sorry." Keith stuttered, Lance and Veronica suppressing the laughter bubbling up inside them, clenching their fists in their laps and sliding their palms over their mouths. Keith was so friggin' afraid of their family they couldn't help themselves.

"Do you not have home cooked food often?" Rosa continued, sparing a single glare to her immature children, whose laughter died on their lips.

Keith shrugged, "Sometimes Shiro will make us Korean food - my mom was Korean so she taught him before she died - but my version of home cooked food is microwaved ready meals."

Veronica gasped scandalously, "You poor thing! Mami we have to keep him."

While the rest of the left table chuckled in unison, Lorenzo cleared his throat, placing his spoon down and leaning his elbows on the table to easily fold his hands together in front of him.

"You said your brother cooks for you? Is he a hunter as well?"

Keith froze, while the rest of the table fell silent, the lighthearted mood shifting in an instant to something suffocating and uncomfortable. Lorenzo ignored the hard stare of his wife next to him, continuing in a careless tone.

"I'll admit I'm a little surprised you've so willingly accepted Lance as your mate, considering you were trying to kill him at first." He said airily, his thick accent turning the accusatory words gruff.

_"Dad."_

_"Lorenzo."_

Lance and his mother hissed at him simultaneously, eyes honing in on the broad-shouldered man.

"What?" He asked incredulously, "I'm simply curious as to what prompted his sudden change of heart." Lorenzo defended himself.

Meanwhile Keith's hand remained frozen, clasped around his spoon as Lorenzo's blue eyes fixed onto him, inquisitive and startlingly perceptive. There was a beat of silence where everyone held in a unanimous breath, waiting for Keith to respond. Keith could see Lance glaring at his father from the corner of his eye, sidling closer to Keith to press a reassuring hand to his back.

Keith sighed, blinking back up to Lance's father. The man seemed surprised at the sheer structure of Keith's unwavering gaze.

"You're right." Keith finally said, all eyes crossing to him, "Lance was my mission. My parents were murdered by a vampire when I was ten, and hunting is all I've known since then. I had no idea what kind of a person he was, because to me, you were all the same."

Lorenzo continued to stare at him, as Keith took a deep breath to continue with.

"But Lance isn't a monster - none of you are. I know that now. After one conversation with him I knew I wouldn't be able to kill him," Keith ducked his head sincerely, "I left my brother and my old life behind. I promise, I’m not going to hurt your son, or any of your family, but this is all so new to me, it’ll take some time for me to adjust. I'm trying to learn more.”

Rosa's gaze softened affectionately for Keith and she reached out to squeeze his hand laying on top of the table.

"I want to be better, like Lance." He said wholeheartedly, "So, if if’s okay with you, I‘d like a second chance."

Lorenzo was silent and Rosa was smiling at him gently when he finally glanced back up to the people around the table. All eyes were fixed on him, all painted in some variety of surprise, including Lance's. He stared down at Keith with poorly masked astonishment, making Keith squirm.

There was a small period of silence before Veronica barked with laughter, shoving another mouthful of rice into her mouth, grinning as she swallowed it down.

"Sorry, papi, but he just handed you your ass on a platter."

Keith pressed his lips together sheepishly as everyone around the table began to laugh, including Lance. Lorenzo locked eyes with Keith, staring curiously before nodding in agreement.

"That was very sweet, Keith." Rosa said sincerely, "Now can we please eat?" She glanced up at her husband sweetly. He gave a gruff sigh in reply.

"Sí, sí, lo siento." He waved his hand and the family once again began to eat (though Elena and Sebastian hadn't stopped in the first place, blissfully unaware of the hostility that was only just dissipating from the air around them.)

Dinner went fairly smoothly after that. Keith kicked up a conversation with Camila and Mateo at the table, finding Mateo oddly fun to talk to when he wasn't intent on killing him. He even managed to get a laugh out of the tiny Sebastian, while across the table it was nothing but chuckles as Lance flicked food across at Elena and played footsie beneath the table with Luis, who was miraculously winning as far as Keith could tell. Rosa scolded them, but it had no heat to it as she gazed fondly at them all.

Keith observed the scene with a smile playing on his lips, while Veronica stared knowingly at the soft looks Keith gave Lance. She and Camila exchanged perceptive grins as the two boys avoided each other's gazes, eating their dinner in silence, not uttering a word to each other.

Once every bowl was empty, and every spoon was licked clean, Keith volunteered to help clean up.

"Oh, that isn't necessary, quierdo." Rosa insisted, but Keith helped collect the dishes in anyway, retreating to the sink with Veronica and assisting her in cleaning them in a bowl full of soapy water. He enjoyed the cleanliness of the warm liquid sliding over his hands, leaving behind white suds as he scrubbed at bowls and pans, Veronica drying each item he handed her wordlessly. She glanced at him from the corners of her eyes, mouth twitching up into a smile.

"It was cool how you stood up to my dad like that." She praised him a few minutes after they began, striking up a conversation with ease, "Nobody else Lance has ever brought home has had the balls to talk back to him."

"I-I didn't want to disrespect him- did it come across like that?"

"Nah," She shook her head, "It seemed firm, like you believed what you were saying. Our papi respects people like that."

Keith chewed at his lip, mind floating back to something Veronica had said earlier in their conversation.

"Has Lance brought a lot of people home, then?" He asked, keeping his eyes fixed to the pan in his hands, squeezing his sponge to run water all over it. Veronica glanced at him, shrugging.

"Just a few flings. He's never been in a serious relationship before - he's always been head over heels for you." She curled her lips assuringly, "So don't go breaking his heart, kay?"

"You're not the first person to ask me that, don't worry." Keith grumbled.

Veronica chuckled, "Allura?"

"Yeah."

She hummed, taking the pan from Keith's hands and rubbing it over with her tea towel.

"Well I can tell you make him happy," She started, "I don't know what he's told you but, uh, it's been a tough couple of years. Lance is quick to trust people, but he's even quicker to cut ties. He's not heartless, he's just afraid of getting hurt." She eyed him perceptively, "You're alike in many ways, I think."

Keith pressed him lips into a wry line, nodding in agreement.

"But if you do hurt him," Her eyes became serious and honed, "As his sister I'm sworn to defend his honor by the official sibling code of conduct. Lance has gotten me out of trouble many times in the past. I would do anything for him, tú comprende?"

Keith's limited Spanish gave him the sense to nod in agreement, prompting Veronica to switch back into her usual, bubbly persona.

He jumped when he felt a hand wrap around his wrist and squeeze it lightly, turning to find Lance staring at him pointedly. Veronica rolled her eyes, nudging him back to take over the sponge.

"Go, there's not much left to do anyway."

"Thanks." Keith said sincerely as Lance pulled him away from the sink with his damp hand. As they passed Lance knocked on the door of living room, capturing the attention of his parents who were curled up on the couch. Luis rested against his mother's chest, as she carded her fingers through his hair tenderly.

"We're going upstairs." Lance announced briefly, before tugging Keith in the direction of the stairs. As they ascended, they heard Rosa call out to Lance.

"Mantén la puerta abierta!"

Lance scowled, blushing as he yelled down the stairs.

"Si, mamá."

Lance guided Keith through the hallway, tossing the few items of clothing on the floor into the laundry basket outside the bathroom door. Lance's room was cleaner than Keith remembered, his bi-lingual books neatly organized on his shelf rather than scattered over his desk and his bed freshly washed and made. He sat down on it softly as Lance pointedly shut the door, against his mother’s wishes, resting his rucksack against it to avoid a situation like the last time they were alone in his room together.

Keith trembled with sudden nerves as Lance sat next to him, resting against the headboard of his bed so they were facing each other. They stared at each other for a second, before Keith ever so slowly raised his wrist, close to Lance's lips. The vampire swallowed, blinking lazily up at Keith.

"I didn't bring you up here for that."

"Then why _did_ you bring me up here?" Keith said pointedly, thrusting his wrist further forwards. Lance sighed irritably.

"It's only been two days. I don't need it."

Keith blinked away, blushing.

"Well maybe _I do."_

Lance furrowed his brow. Keith's lips thinned with embarrassment while the vampire surveyed him, blinking up under his dark fringe into his flickering gaze. He exhaled in relief when Lance finally touched him, sliding his hand up his back to cup his neck. He felt Keith's pulse flitting beneath his fingers, racing like a hummingbird.

Lance swallowed, leaning forwards to lightly graze his teeth against Keith's wrist, keeping their eyes hotly locked together as he bared his fangs, sinking them into him. Keith shuddered a breath, head ducking as the familiar warmth slowly slid through him. It was different than the past few times. It was hotter than usual, and this time it was for Keith, to ease the quiver of his blood and shaking of his muscles. Lance's bite was worse than any hard drug he could get addicted to.

He slipped easily into Lance's lap this time, pressing his cheek against Lance's hair and sighing gently. Despite his usual gentleness, Lance's grip was firmer than before around Keith's wrist and waist, his long, slow drags of his blood slowly ebbing away at Keith's consciousness. He felt the usual loss of breath and control, panting softly into Lance's hair and pressing further into his chest. Warmth pooled in his stomach and finally his eyes slipped shut, and he found himself lost in the feeling.

But only moments later Lance relented his hold, releasing a lightheaded Keith, who fell instantly against his chest. Lance had never drunk so much from him. His energy had been sucked away, leaving him limp and hardly able to hold himself up as Lance whispered an apology to him, leaning over to his nightstand to get some bandages he'd stored there just in case.

He kissed Keith's wrist adoringly, wiping away the smudge of blood from the puncture marks before starting to wrap it up. Keith watched him through a hooded gaze, thighs softly squeezing around Lance's hips. Lance blinked up at him, smiling softly before taping down the bandage.

Still, both of them refused to move. Lance's hands settled back on Keith's hips while Keith cleared his throat, glancing aside bashfully.

"Can I ask you something...?" He muttered, eyes glittering in the moonlight through the window.

"Sure." Lance nodded.

"Why does Lotor want to know where your sister is?" Keith asked, hearing Lance's sharp, poorly masked inhale, "Y-You don't have to tell me, I was just wondering..."

"Lotor has had his sights set on Ana for years." Lance grumbled, "But he's insane. We just realized it too late."

"What happened?" Keith whispered, almost fearful of what Lance could unveil.

Lance's fingers dragged up and down Keith's side repeatedly as he mulled over his words. Keith could tell what he was about to tell him was serious, so he offered him another gentle touch on his hand. Lance smiled down at where Keith's fingers brushed his palm.

"Ana and Lotor met in high school. They figured out they were both vamps straight away - the only difference was Lotor was nameless, and Ana wasn't." Lance swallowed, "Lotor loved Ana, and though he knew it couldn't last, started a relationship with her anyway. Ana never took it seriously, but Lotor... Lotor was _obsessed_ with her. We could all see it. We tried warning her, but they were so close, she wouldn't listen."

Lance sighed ruggedly, "But she met Marco, her soulmate, a few months later. Lotor seemed to take it pretty well... but after she and Marco got together, we didn't hear from him for years. They went their separate ways, and Ana and Marco started their life together." Lance smiled sourly, "They got married, and had a little girl called Lucile. God, she was so perfect." Lance sighed wistfully.

He fiddled with the end of Keith's shirt, thumbing the fabric between the pads of his fingers contemplatively.

"But Lotor came back, just after Lucile turned 5. Over the years, he'd been driven insane. It happens to most nameless vamps, but because of his lingering love for my sister, it was even worse with him. He tracked Ana down and turned up at her house in the middle of the night, begging her to come back to him. He left, eventually, but we knew that wouldn't be the end of it. He..." Lance swallowed, glancing down solemnly at his lap, "He broke in later that month and... he _killed_ Lucy."

Keith made no reaction other than a sombre swallow, lifting his hand to Lance's bicep, stroking his thumb along it tenderly.

"Ana and Marco left town... they were devastated. Mom made Ana promise to stay away until we dealt with Lotor, but he disappeared. Well, until now. It's been two years since Ana and Marco left..." Lance pursed his lips bitterly, "And now Ana wants to come home. She's coming to visit next month and... I'm so fucking terrified, Keith, I'm-"

Keith shushed him, dragging the pad of his thumb over Lance's bottom lip to cease its trembling. His brow was tightly furrowed, casting a shadow over his eyes as he stared hotly ahead of him at Keith.

"Promise me you'll be careful." Lance's fingers pressed into his waist firmly, "Lotor will do anything to hurt our family. Me, especially."

Keith's eyebrows pinched together, "Why you?"

"He blames me for Ana leaving him. I was the one who confronted him about his feelings for Ana. I was the one who kept telling her how crazy he was, and I was right. He'll use you to get to me, so, please. Be on the look out." He pleaded.

Keith nodded, fumbling with the sleeves of his shirt, curling them between his fingers nervously. Lance smiled thinly, brushing his own digits over Keith's.

"I love it when you do that..." He murmured, causing Keith to pause in his motions. The dark-haired boy glanced up into Lance's curious eyes, breath hitching when Lance tenderly cupped his cheek.

"Did you mean what you said back there, at the table?"

Keith overlapped his bottom lip with his top one, sucking the skin into his mouth and running his tongue over it dexterously. Feeling a sudden surge of confidence, he raised his own hands to Lance's face, trailing his fingers over his cheek before cupping his cheek, deftly running his thumb over the bones beneath.

"Every word." He whispered.

Lance took a sharp, deep breath before surging forwards, tangling his hands in Keith's fluffy locks and slamming their mouths together. Adrenaline coursing through his veins, Keith gave into the embrace, tightening his hold on Lance's cheek so his nails scraped against the vampire's neck. Once Lance pulled away, for a few seconds all they could do was pant into each others mouths, inhaling their own sweet breath.

Keith was the next one to dart forwards, giving into his instincts and releasing a breathy moan into Lance's mouth as their lips slowly slid together again, meeting to tenderly explore each other. There was a trace of blood still lingering on Lance's lips, but Keith didn't have the audacity to care when they were so warm and soft against his own. Lance held him more delicately then he ever had, like he was something to be treasured.

Lance’s name slipped past his lips before he could stop it. He cringed at how desperate he sounded, but it only prompted the vampire to hold him harder, to deepen the impassioned kiss by stroking his tongue against the seam of Keith's lips. Lance moaned as Keith willingly let him delve into his mouth, resting his arms on Lance's shoulders to gently stroke the nape of his neck. Just like before, Keith felt himself being slowly lowered onto the bed. Except this time there was no one around to interrupt them as Lance lay his body firmly against Keith's.

They continued to lazily make out on the bed, uncaring of any sensitive eared vampires that could be lingering in the rooms nearby. They kept their breathing steady and their moans quiet, neither of them daring enough to take it further than the simple but passionate kiss. The moment Lance's fingers brushed against the hem of Keith's shirt he sobered up, pulling off Lance's lips and sitting up on the bed, keeping them at a distance by pushing at Lance's chest.

They sat together in comfortable silence, panting softly as both their heartbeats slowed back to normal. The dizziness Keith had felt was gone, replaced by a fuzzy feeling that burned all of his insides. Lance stroked a hand down through Keith's hair to his cheek, stroking a thumb over his reddened bottom lip.

"I know I said you didn't have to but... can you stay the night? I'm pretty sure my mom's already gotten the couch ready for you anyway."

Keith chuckled, nodding wordlessly. Lance looked relieved as Keith slid from the bed.

"You can use my pajamas," Lance insisted as Keith padded towards the door, delving into the bottom drawer of his dresser and tossing Keith blue patchwork night clothes. Keith took them gratefully, before opening the door and stepping out into the hallway.

"Goodnight, Lance." He whispered, seeing a small wave through the shaft of moonlight in the room, before closing the door behind him.

He almost screamed when he turned back to the hall, and found Veronica standing silently in the threshold of the bathroom, holding her toothbrush and gazing at Keith's tender expression. In a few seconds, a large grin spread over her face, and she padded in the room opposite, fluttering her fingers at Keith.

"Sleep well, Keithy." She uttered her parting words tauntingly, before slamming her bedroom door shut. Keith shuffled into the bathroom, exhaling shakily once inside. If he concentrated, he could still feel his lips tingling, Lance's imprint dancing across his skin. He pulled the soft cotton pajamas over his body wordlessly. They were only a little big, thankfully, big enough he managed to get downstairs without having to pull them up to his waist.

As Lance had predicted, Rosa was waiting in the door of the living room, dimly lit yellow by a lamp in the corner, the couch padded with pillows and a soft looking comforter.

Rosa smiled, passing Keith a toothbrush before lightly patting him on the shoulder.

"Let me know if you need anything." She said softly, before padding towards the sleepy staircase.

"Thank you, Mrs. Mc- I mean, Rosa." Keith corrected himself, making the woman smile.

The bed was even softer than Keith had expected. He folded his clothes neatly, fishing his phone from the pocket of his jacket and tiredly sending a message to Allura, letting her know she wouldn't need to come get him. He blinked the white spots from his eyes after he'd discarded the bright phone, burying himself in the cool covers.

He fiddled with the hem of Lance's pajama top as he drifted away. If he focused he could smell the vampire's scent enveloping him, in the clothes and in the covers. The whole smell reminded him oddly of home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *drumming fingers together* ha, ha ha, hahahamUhaMUHAHAHA
> 
> Translation: Shit’s about to go down


	14. Chapter 14

The sound of a boiling kettle woke Keith the following day, its wheezing sounding loudly through the house sometime in the early hours of the morning. Keith blearily rubbed at the corners of his eyes, collecting the sleepy globs of dust that had collected there and sliding out of the cocoon he'd created for himself with his duvet.

He padded into the kitchen, pausing when the only body he found in there was Lorenzo's, fully dressed and standing next to the sink, filling a mug with clear, boiling water and mixing it with the instant coffee beans in the depths of the cup. At the sound of footfall he turned, locking eyes with Keith. There was a breath of silence before he reached up to the cupboard above him, pulling out another mug.

"Coffee?"

Keith's mouth parted in surprise but he nodded nonetheless.

"Yes, please."

He took the mug from Lorenzo's grip once it had been filled gratefully, enjoying the way it warmed his cold, stiff hands.

"Do you often rise this early?" Lorenzo asked, taking a large swig from his own mug. Keith shrugged as he blew at the steam billowing in front of him, clenching his hands tighter around the cup.

"I guess, usually."

Lorenzo grunted, "Not like Lance, then. That boy sleeps longer than the dead."

Keith's lips turned up in amusement and he took a sip of his coffee, letting its warmth slip around his mouth before swallowing it down. Lorenzo eyed him over the brim of his mug perceptively, clearing his throat.

"I suppose he told you about Ana?"

Keith blinked, "How did you know?"

Lorenzo cracked something similar to a smile, "You're in a house full of vampires. Nothing in this house is private when everybody in it has enhanced hearing." He said, tapping his ears and giving Keith a suggestive look. Keith's eyes widened and he looked aside with a blush, the father of five smirking.

"I'm... sorry about your granddaughter." Keith said sincerely, locking their eyes together again. Lorenzo nodded habitually, draining the dregs of his coffee before placing the mug upside down in the sink, turning to Keith with his hands braced against the counter behind him.

"Do you see, now, why I take threats to my family so seriously?" Lorenzo replied gravely, "Seeing Lance lose himself in the weeks after he met you was torture for me. He trusts you, so I shall as well. But if you betray us?” He paused, and Keith tensed, “I will kill you myself."

Keith swallowed as Lorenzo pushed himself off the counter to stare steadfastly down at him.

"Don't get me wrong, I am not an aggressive person. But I will do anything to protect my family." He finished.

"I understand, sir." Keith replied, pitching his voice low, "But I promise you, I'm not going to hurt him, or your family."

Lorenzo broke out into a smile, patting Keith's shoulder firmly. It was a comfortable, assuring weight, one that confirmed the surety of Keith's words. Seeing the fearsome man smile made him look younger, Keith noticed, Lance's promised safety having comforted him, it seemed.

"I'm glad."

Rosa entered the kitchen a moment later with Luis at her side. They both paused when they caught sight of the two men, the curly haired woman cocking her brow and folding her arms expectantly.

"You're playing nice, I hope?" She directed at her husband, who stepped forwards to give her an affectionate kiss.

"Of course." He assured her, "But I have to leave if I'm going to catch my train." He said regrettably. Rosa's lips tilted sadly and she wrapped her arms around her mountainous husband. He held her head against his chest, while Luis glanced towards Keith, feigning a gag. Keith pressed his lips together to stop the laughter he could feel bubbling up in his chest, deciding it was an entirely inappropriate moment to let it out.

"Give everyone my love. I'll be home in a few days." Lorenzo promised, bending down to kiss Luis' head affectionately, picking up a bag presumably holding his clothes, before ducking out of the door.

"Oh and Keith? Keep and eye on my son. He has a tendency to act irrationally when it comes to you." Lorenzo requested as he slid into his car parked outside the door.

Keith nodded understandingly as Lorenzo waved to his wife and son, zooming away down the quiet street seconds later.

"Does he travel a lot?" Keith asked as Rosa closed the door and padded sleepily back into the kitchen, her nightgown an inch from sweeping along the floor. She poured herself her own coffee, filling a bowl with cereal and milk for Luis, who hobbled over to the kitchen table.

"His job requires it," She hummed, "Your brother worked for NASA too, didn't he?"

"Yeah, but he mostly just helped develop the ships. It didn't require much travelling." Keith elaborated.

Rosa nodded, "Enzo travels to recruit young pilots a lot. It's only for a few months of the year, but it's difficult not having him around. Mateo and Camila help out when they can, but we all miss him when he's away."

It hadn't dawned on Keith before that the McClains were also faced with the usual and aches and pains of daily life, that they had mundane problems just like any other family. Keith could see how much it pained Rosa to be away from her husband. Lance had said they were mates, after all, so if it was anything like what he'd experienced, it couldn't be easy.

Rosa's gaze fixed on Keith's wrist as he hoisted his sleeve up to scratch through the bandage. She furrowed her brow, leaning over to observe it.

"It should have healed by now- is he being too rough with you?" She frowned.

"Ah, no, he's... fine." Keith blushed. In actuality he was much more than fine, but Lance's mother probably wasn't the person to tell that to.

"It must be because you're human." She mused, glancing aside when she heard a splash, then a clatter. Luis' spoon had fallen into his cereal bowl, and his fists were clenched in pain. Keith's eyes widened with concern, as Rosa shuffled over to tend to him.

Luis' brow was taut and his eyes were droopy. The scene was all too familiar.

"He needs to drink. You wouldn't be uncomfortable if I...?" Rosa trailed off.

"Oh, no." Keith waved his hand dismissively, "It's fine."

She smiled gratefully, raising his wrist to Luis' mouth. It was starkly different to when Lance drank from Keith, obviously, but just as gentle. Rosa stroked her fingers soothingly through her son's hair while Keith fiddled awkwardly with his coffee, glancing through the kitchen window into the garden, feeling like he was imposing on something he shouldn't.

He watched the sun slowly drag itself into the sky as morning crept onward. For the first time in weeks he felt content at the sight of a new day beginning, blinking back to Rosa and Luis when there was a scuffle. Rosa kissed her son's head as he nonchalantly turned back to his breakfast, stepping back towards Keith's end of the kitchen.

"We've run out of blood, we'll have to ask Allura for more." She sighed, "I hate taking advantage of her like this."

"She doesn't mind," Keith assured her without even thinking, "She cares a lot about your family."

Rosa's lips twitched up at the sides at his assurance as she retrieved a balm from the cupboard next to Keith's head, dabbing her finger into the clear jelly and rubbing it over her wrist. Keith watched intently, blinking when it was suddenly thrust his way.

"Try it on your bite- it heals them within a few hours." She instructed him, "A vampire manufactured it a few years ago. Just put it on before you wrap your wrist."

Keith took it slowly, pulling his bandage down and swiping some of the cool substance over the bite mark. The irritable itch disappeared almost immediately, and he sighed blissfully. Rosa dismissed him as he offered the tub back to her.

"Take it. We heal faster anyway."

"Thank you." Keith uttered gratefully.

They both turned at the sound of a squeal, seeing Elena emerge from the bottom of the stairs, Lance right on her tail with Sebastian giggling away in his arms. Lance continued to tickle his chin, yawning tiredly as he placed the baby in his seat, blinking up drearily.

"Buenos días, mami." He drawled, kissing his mother's cheek with a lack of finesse.

"You look like los muertos." She scolded, pinching his cheek, "I'll get you some coffee."

Lance nodded, drowsily falling against the counter next to Keith. He turned to the shorter boy, smiling. It stole Keith's breath away, and he cursed Lance’s ability to make him feel this way with only a smile.

"Morning." Lance said softly down at him, looking adorably disheveled in his pajamas with his hair in disarray.

"I don't know what your mom called you but she was probably right." Keith mused, making Lance chuckle.

"Did you sleep well?"

Keith nodded, pressing his lips together and glancing up at Lance, meeting his gaze. Lance's heart skipped a beat as he took in Keith's ever-flawless features, dragging his eyes over an adorable nose and pink lips before clearing his throat, leaning in to mumble under his breath.

"I'm sorry I sprung that kiss on you last night," He said under his breath, conscious that his family could probably hear him if they wanted to, "I didn't know if you... well I don't want you to feel uncomfortable around me. I promised you we'd take this at your pace, and I meant it."

"Did I look like I was uncomfortable?" Keith asked with a slight upturn of his lips. Lance blushed, turning his gaze to straight ahead of him bashfully.

Keith swallowed, "It was fine, I... I didn't mind it." He mumbled, taking a long sip of his coffee. Lance eyed him for a few seconds, before breaking out into a beaming grin that made Keith blush even further.

"So you won't mind if I do it again some time?" He whispered.

Keith just grinned, taking another pointed sip of his coffee and standing to walk towards the middle of the kitchen. Lance shook his head with a fond smirk, following him over. Noticing the rest of the family beginning to gather around the table he slipped into a seat next to Camila, who was spooning scarlet stained baby food in Sebastian's mouth. Keith decided not to ask what it was.

"Have you been studying, mijo?" Rosa asked as Lance sat next to Keith with his own coffee and bowl of chocolate cereal. He made a non-committing grunt, shoving cereal into his mouth. Rosa frowned.

"How do you expect to get into the Garrison with your father if you don't study, hm?"

"I _am_ studying." Lance insisted, "I've just had... other things on my mind recently." He grumbled.

"Yeah, like Keith's d-"

"Quiet, niñita." Rosa hissed to stop Veronica before she could complete her sentence.

"You're trying to get into the Garrison?" Keith blinked up in surprise at Lance, who smiled.

"Yeah. I'm gonna become a pilot." He said proudly.

"Not if you don't study." Luis said pointedly. Lance scowled, dipping his fingers into the milk in his bowl and flicking it towards his brother. Elena giggled, doing the same before Camila slapped her hand away, glaring at Lance.

"Stop corrupting my children." She scolded Lance, who sheepishly rubbed his neck. Keith watched the familiar exchanges fondly, finishing the final gulp of his coffee in silence.

"What about you, Keith?" Camila piped up, "What do you plan to do after college?"

Keith's mouth twitched to the side and he shrugged.

"I'm not sure. I always thought I'd follow in my brother's footsteps and manufacture ships, but... I'm not so sure I wanna do that anymore." He muttered, staring down into his empty mug. Lance glanced over to him, frowning.

"What about drawing?"

Camila’s gaze snapped up to Keith in surprise.

"You're an artist?" She asked with poorly masked awe. Glancing round, Keith could see the rest of the McClain's gazes fixed on him, waiting for him to elaborate. Lance cupped his own chin with a smug smirk dancing on his face.

Keith huffed, glaring at Lance, "I'm not, really. It's more of a hobby."

Lance scoffed incredulously, shaking his head in disagreement, "That's a lie. Cam, his drawings are amazing- they might even be better than yours." He bragged, earning a scowl from his sister-in-law.

"Camila owns a studio near her house." Rosa explained.

"Yeah, you're welcome to swing by if you ever want a quiet place to draw." Camila offered Keith with a smile, giving Sebastian another spoonful of blood-coloured baby food when he began whining at being ignored for too long.

"Thanks." Keith replied honestly. Lance winked down at him, the silent I-told-you-so hanging in the air between them. Keith poked his tongue out, blinking round when Rosa cleared her throat, remembering there were other people sat around the table.

"What are you boys planning to do today? Do you have to get back to Allura's?" She asked Keith.

"Not really." He shrugged.

Lance perked up, eyes glistening excitedly, "There's a market being held at the beach this week, why don't we go there?" He suggested.

"That could be cool." Keith agreed.

They turned at the sound of Camila clearing her throat. She had a sheepish look on her face.

"Would you mind taking Elena with you? Matty is at work and I have to take Seb to our pediatrician today."

The little blonde girl blinked up at the sound of her name. She locked eyes with Keith, cocking her head to the side inquisitively before breaking out into a smile. Keith's heart squeezed, and his lips turned up.

"I think that'll be fine." Lance rolled his eyes as he observed the exchange.

"I left some of Lance's old clothes for you on the couch," Rosa smiled at Keith, "They should fit okay."

Lance smirked, "Yeah, I wore them when I was Luis' age so they should be a perfect fit."

Keith scowled at Lance, standing and whacking him over the head as he retreated into the living room. To his dismay, he found the clothes did in fact fit perfectly, though by the looks of them they couldn't have been older than a year or two.

Lance waited outside with Elena's hand clasped in his. He rested lazily against the hood of his car, his slouched position leaving his shirt clinging to his flat, toned stomach. Judging by the smirk playing on his lips, he already knew Keith would ogle him the minute he stepped from the house. Keith pursed his lips as he approached, suddenly missing his hoodie, wishing he could shove his hands into his woolly pockets.

"You look cute in my clothes." He whispered across to Keith once he'd strapped Elena into the back on the car, enjoying the distinct pleasure of making Keith blush. He'd underestimated how it would feel to have his soulmate return his feelings, and he felt like he was flying.

The drive to the beach was a short one, the breezy tunes from the car radio accompanying them as they ambled along. Elena's high pitched humming sounded from the back, bringing a smile to Keith's lips. He hadn't felt this kind of domestic warmth since he was a child. Since his parents had died.

"What'cha thinking about?" Lance asked, having noticed the nostalgic expression on Keith's face.

"Nothing." He turned to the vampire with a smile, "This is just nice, is all."

Lance beamed at him, turning into the sandy parking lot a few moments later. Elena cheered from the backseat once she caught sight of the ocean, sitting as high as she could to peer out of the window onto the boardwalk and the crystalline sand.

"The market is this way, pumpkin." Lance said once they'd all exited the car, hoisting the little girl onto his shoulders with ease. For a brief moment Keith wondered if Lance would be able to pick _him_ up that easily, but physically shook the thought away the moment it appeared.

They traipsed into the market situated along the boardwalk. Wind chimes and ropey necklaces hung from every stall, the sea glass glittering in the morning sunlight.

"Sorry we had to bring her." Lance apologized quietly as Elena swung her legs back on forth on top of his shoulders, kicking off lightly against his chest. She held onto his hair to keep herself upright, head spinning as she tried to get a good look at every stall they passed.

"It's fine." Keith smiled softly, glancing up at the girl, "She's cute."

Lance grinned, "All the McClains are."

Keith smirked, shrugging, "I wouldn't say _all_ of them."

"You mean Luis, right?" Lance frowned at him and paused walking while Keith continued on ahead, observing the stalls innocently, "Right?"

Lance huffed a laugh as Keith remained silent, shooting Lance a playful smirk over his shoulder. Lance tightened his grip around Elena's legs as he sped up his pace so he and Keith were once again side by side, the smaller of the two painted with a smug expression.

"Lance!" Elena exclaimed, pointing frantically to a stall of bracelets. Lance let her down gruffly, stretching out his shoulders. Elena stood on her toes to peer over at all the jewelry, rustically formed from rope and multicolored sea glass. Keith crouched down next to her as she pointed towards a bracelet near the back of the stall, fetching it for her and handing it her way.

She shook her head, pushing it back towards Keith insistingly.

"For you." She said, clasping it around his wrist. He blinked in surprise, staring down at the bracelet. The rope was brown but the glass sewn into it was blue, bouncing the sunlight back at him so it glinted in his eye.

"I'll get it for you." Lance said, passing money over to the stall's owner before Keith could refuse, smiling down at the pair.

Keith stood up, brushing his fingers over the bracelet fondly. Elena looked up him with her wide green eyes, just like her mother's, a beam stretching over her face.

"Thank you." He told them both softly, running a hand through Elena's wild blonde hair affectionately. Slipping her hand back into Lance's she dragged him onward towards the row of concrete buildings she'd spotted in her peripheral.

"Can we get ice cream?" She asked with a slight hop in her step, tugging on Lance's hand insistently. He gave in with a relenting huff, not that he ever would have been able to refuse the little girl anyways. She skipped towards the shop, ordering like a pro before Keith and Lance had even caught up to her.

Keith and Lance held back as she sped onto the beach to toss rocks a few feet further into the ocean while licking at her cone full of strawberry fluff, watching her fondly while lifting their own plastic spoons of ice cream into their mouths. Keith sighed, closing his eyes and tossing his head back a little, letting the cool breeze fan over his cheeks. He didn't notice Lance staring fondly at the side of his face until his eyes opened again, locking with ones even bluer than the ocean a few feet ahead of him.

"I like this." He said softly.

"Me too." Lance smiled, the sun turning his hair into dark threads of gold as it suddenly peaked behind him. Keith swallowed, turning away before he gave into his impulses and kissed him in front of the entire beach. Thankfully Elena came bounding back up the beach a few seconds later, ice cream completely eaten and hands wet from the ocean spray.

"Ready to go home now, niñita?" Lance asked, receiving a pout and reluctant nod in return. Elena ran around to Keith's side, reaching up to slide her palm into his, but pulling back with a squeak the moment their hands touched.

Keith's eyes widened as he spotted the burn marks appearing on her hand, looking huge on the tiny surface. Lance swore under his breath, pulling her over to a nearby bench.

"I'm sorry..." Keith whispered as Lance lifted her onto the bench and began to kiss and tend to the skin there, licking his thumb and running it over the tender, welted flesh.

Lance shook his head, "Hey, it isn't your fault. It was just an accident."

Even so Keith felt insanely guilty, seeing Elena's lip tremble and hearing Lance's worried tone as he soothed her. Keith frowned down at the ring, which had once been his own defense, but was now a weapon against people he was greatly beginning to care about.

Without hesitation he pulled it from his finger, stomping through the sand and tossing it into the sea, as far as it could go.

Lance's eyes were wide with shock when Keith turned back to him, trudging back through the sand.

"Are you sure?"

"I don't need it anymore." Keith said solemnly, "I don't want to hurt your family." He looked down at Elena's hand gravely. She blinked up at him, reaching out to squeeze his fingers in her little palm.

"Don't be sad..." She pouted, "It doesn't hurt, see?" She held up her already healing hand.

"I think it's time to go home. Abuela will have lunch done soon, and mommy will be back with Sebastian." Lance told her, hoisting her back onto his shoulders. He turned to Keith, "You okay?"

Keith glanced back towards the ocean one last time before nodding firmly, unhesitant to slip his hand into Lance's, taking the vampire by surprise. Lance's features softened before he gripped Keith's hand tightly in his own, leading him back towards the car.

They kept their hands clasped together the whole drive home. Elena watched them perceptively, still humming along, not a worry in the world. Keith longed for the times he was that care free. Then again, he felt close to it now. There was just one thing he had to do.

"Do you wanna stay for lunch?" Lance asked once they were out of the car. Elena disappeared into the house, leaving the two boys alone on the porch. Keith bit his lip. He wanted so badly to stay in this little bubble with Lance and his family, but he knew sooner or later something would make it pop. Better he stop things now, before he wanted to stay forever.

"I should really get back to Allura's..." He muttered, "It's about time I talked to Shiro."

Lance's eyes tilted sympathetically and he released Keith's hand, "Okay. You'll call me if you need anything?"

"Of course." Keith promised.

A few minutes later Allura pulled up outside. Yesterday’s clothes pressed to his chest and bracelet still firmly wrapped around his wrist, Keith said goodbye to the McClains. Lance followed him outside and pulled Keith in for a hug, avoiding a kiss, knowing fully well his family were watching from the curtains and wanting to stay within bounds of their agreement to take things at Keith’s pace. But oh how he longed to lengthen the embrace when Keith pulled away.

"I'll see you soon." He vowed as Keith hopped down the stairs. He whizzed away moments later in Allura's car, out of sight, but never out of mind.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: **Character Injury**

The following day at school, things seemed to have returned to normal. Keith sat with Lance, Pidge and Hunk for lunch, exchanging quick glances with the handsome Cuban every few seconds that caused both of them to blush. Those tender moments didn't go unnoticed by their friends, who smirked knowingly at each other whenever the blood would go rushing to Keith and Lance's cheeks. It didn't take long for Pidge to snap, abruptly interrupting one of Lance and Keith's conversations by slamming her coffee cup down on the table.

The boys blinked at her blank, perceptive expression.

"So did you fuck?"

Keith glanced away, eyes boring into his sandwich before he took a huge bite, chewing through his embarrassment. Lance just scowled at his friend, who watched Keith fumble with enjoyment.

 _"No._ We figured things out like normal human beings- by _talking."_

Pidge wrinkled her nose, "Firstly, you aren't human. Secondly... ew."

"So why are you blushing like school girls every time you look at each other?" Hunk asked, leaning back in his chair.

Keith and Lance blinked up at each other. Lance had to resist the urge to pinch Keith's cheeks, still stuffed with bread and ham. Keith shrugged, before turning back to his lunch, leaving Lance to defend them alone. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"If you must know, we made out on my bed yesterday." He stated plainly.

Opposite him Keith choked on his sandwich, Pidge thumping him on the back until it went cleanly down his throat. He glared up at the vampire smirking smugly across from him.

"What the fuck, Lance?"

"Hey, I was honest." He raised his coffee to his lips, taking a long swig.

Pidge shrugged, "Well at least now all the disgusting lovey looks make sense," She reasoned, "So are you two dating now, or what?"

The teenagers exchanged a shy glance, lips thinning anxiously.

"Hey, don't pressure them." Hunk scowled, flicking Pidge on the forehead punishingly, "Let them figure it out on their own."

Pidge reluctantly left them alone after that, but Keith could feel Lance staring at him from across the table throughout the rest of lunch. Eventually the hour came to a close and they trudged to their respective classes, but the warmth in Keith's face didn't subside until long after that, Lance's beaming smile and blue eyes seared into his mind, appearing like ghosts every time he blinked. He assumed it to be one of the side-effects of being soulmates, but in the back of his mind he knew it was just an excuse to run from what he was feeling so powerfully in his gut.

Thankfully he'd returned to normal by the end of classes, hopping on his bike and swiftly driving back to Allura's. She hadn't said much after picking him up the night before, but knowing her, she'd already figured out that something had happened between he and Lance. When it came to Keith, there was nothing he could hide from Allura. She'd known him since he was a kid, and had discovered every nook and cranny of his dynamic personality by now.

His attempt at talking to Shiro the night before had gone as well as he'd expected - he'd been hung up on almost instantly. Allura tried to comfort him, but per usual he'd retreated into his room to brood, before exhaustion had finally forced him into bed. She assured him that Shiro would come around, eventually. But day by day, he was losing faith his brother would ever veer and see things his way.

He fished the spare key she'd given to him out of his bag, swirling it around his finger as he ascended to the top level of her apartment building. She'd chosen the very last apartment in the building, which housed a spectacular view of the sunset rising above the city from her balcony every night. Since Keith moved in they spent nearly every night outside leaning against the railing, chatting idly while watching the great orb dip into the ocean.

But tonight was not as tranquil. Keith could hear the yelling as soon as the elevator opened at their floor, sprouting from the door at the end of the hall. Allura's door.

He approached the apartment slowly, fumbling with the lock for a few seconds as he tried to enter. But before he could even insert his key the door was wrenched open from the other side, revealing Shiro, chest heaving and face red with fury. Allura appeared behind him, stoic faced and frowning. The brothers stared at each other for a few seconds before Shiro stepped out of the apartment, forcing Keith to back away.

"You're coming home." Shiro ordered him, "I won't allow this to go on any longer."

Keith scowled as Shiro's hand planted itself on his shoulder, pulling away forcefully to stand by Allura.

"I'm staying here." He said firmly.

"This is _insane_ Keith." Shiro hissed, "You have no idea what they're capable of."

"How many times do I have to tell you, Shiro? They aren't killers."

"Then how do you explain _this."_ Shiro reached into his pocket, thrusting a grainy photograph towards Keith, "Another murder in their district, even closer to their house than the last one."

It was a man, this time, but his face and arms were slashed just like Nyma's had been, his brown eyes open and hollow. Keith pursed his lips, eye glinting knowingly as he glared up at Shiro.

"Lotor was at the McClains last night." He growled, "He must have done this after leaving."

Allura's mouth fell open, "That man on the porch was _Lotor?"_

Keith nodded solemnly, "He has a vendetta against their entire family." He turned to Shiro, praying he would listen long enough to hear the truth, "He _wants_ you to go after them, to think they're killers."

"Even if they’re innocent of this, they're still vamps. Their murderous nature will come out soon enough, and you’ll be in danger.”

“No I won’t.” Keith growled, “How many times do I have to tell you, Shiro? They aren’t like that!”

“They drink human blood to survive, Keith! Their entire existence is unnatural!" Shiro exclaimed, hand flying out exaggeratedly.

Keith clenched his fists as his brother gently stepped forwards, placing his hand on Keith's shoulder in a sudden act of tenderness. His eyes softened and he squeezed Keith's shoulder like he always had, and Keith felt himself threatening to buckle. He was so tired; tired of fighting with his brother, tired of trying to prove to him something he’d never believe. He longed for them to be like they were before. And Shiro was using it to his advantage.

"I know you're blinded by your feelings for Lance, but being with him isn't good for you." Shiro grabbed onto Keith's wrist, holding the bandaged flesh up pointedly, "Don't you see? You're nothing but food to him."

Keith snatched his hand away violently, heart clenching as he saw the hurt look in Shiro's eyes.

"You should leave. I’m not coming home."

Allura pulled Keith inside, moving to close the door in Shiro's face. Keith saw her face clench when Shiro grabbed onto her hand, stopping her from shutting him out.

"Allura, _please._ Talk to him."

Her eyes narrowed sharply and she pulled away.

"Goodnight, Shiro."

Neither of them missed the flash of pain that crossed over Shiro's face as Allura pushed his hand out of the door, closing it and locking it tight. Keith shook behind her, arms folded around himself. Allura sighed before turning to him, pulling him into a gentle cuddle.

"Are you alright?" She asked softly, stroking through his hair. It reminded Keith of how Rosa had petted Luis the day before, unmistakably tender and adoring.

"Yes." Keith smiled reassuringly into the crook of Allura's neck and she squeezed her arms comfortingly around him, stepping back to cup his cheek.

"I'm proud of you." Was all she said next. It was honest, and leaked with fondness. Keith's lips upturned at the sides, revealing his dimples and softening his face. Allura released him a moment later, stepping around him in the direction of the kitchen.

However, the moment her hands left Keith's skin he felt a sharp pain near his stomach, blossoming further and further over his torso, snatching his breath away.

He gasped, clutching at his shirt and doubling over onto his knees on the floor. At the sound of his body falling Allura spun around, eyes going wide. The pain only became worse in Keith's abdomen, leaving him unable to utter a single word.

"Keith!?" Allura fell to her knees, "What's happening?"

But Keith couldn’t speak speak. All he could do was clutch his stomach and groan. Allura threw his shirt up, glancing down at the planes of his chest, inspecting for any injury, finding nothing other than flawless skin. And yet Keith continued to writhe in agony on the floor, hands continually clenching as he gasped for air.

Allura's face fell as it dawned on her the only possible explanation for Keith's sudden collapse. Clenching her jaw she forced him into sitting position, cupping his neck to make him look at her.

"A-Allura?" He finally gathered enough breath to wheeze, "What is this?" His eyes wavered with tears bordering the sharp lines of his face as she stared at him, conveying urgency with her gaze.

"We need to get you to Lance, right now." She declared, "Can you walk?"

Keith swallowed before nodding, resting almost all his weight in Allura's arms as she pulled him to his feet. With little grace they stumbled through the hallway towards Allura's car, her hand tightly wound around Keith's waist to hold him up as they zoomed down in the elevator. The flashing white lights did nothing to help Keith's spinning conscious, speckles of light following him in his peripheral as Allura loaded him into the front seat of her car, strapping him in before sprinting round to her own seat.

She drove faster than she ever had to Lance's house, whispering comfort to Keith that he couldn't even hear over the adrenaline fueled blood rushing through his ears. The only real thing he could make sense of was her hand in his, squeezing tightly around his fingers as they hurtled down the road. There was no light pop music this time, or the sound of Allura's voice as she sang along to the radio.

He heard Allura curse under her breath when they arrived, hearing the click of her seat belt as she launched out of the car, capturing the attention of all the people on the lawn. Rosa was in the center, cradling Lance against her chest, just as Allura had feared.

"Allura?" The woman blinked in shock as Allura lifted Keith into her arms, staggering up the lawn towards Rosa, "What's going on?"

"He can feel it." Allura panted as she gently rested Keith onto the ground, holding him up with all her strength to stop his head lolling back and slamming against the grass. Her lips pressed together as she observed the steadily growing red stain on Lance's shirt. Like Keith he was holding onto his stomach in pain, wincing every few seconds and jolting in his mother's hold. His eyes cracked open, landing weakly on Keith.

"Keith..." He croaked, pushing himself up. Keith just glanced between his stomach and Lance's with poorly muffled shock, eyes darting up towards Rosa.

"What happened?"

Rosa gravely pursed her lips, caressing Lance's face.

"Lotor." She said deeply, "He turned up and confronted Lance."

"He started talking about you, making threats and stuff like that. Lance _lost_ it. I've never seen him so angry." Veronica told Keith, who turned his gaze back to Lance when another pang shot up from his abdomen his torso.

"But Lotor had a dagger. It was a dirty move." Camila scowled.

"W-What's happening?" Keith asked fearfully, "How am I feeling this?" He gestured to Lance.

Rosa only shook her head in disbelief, "I... I have no idea." She admitted, "You two have barely known each other a month. For you to be connected this deeply shouldn't be possible, especially if you haven't formed a physical bond."

"Physical bond?" Ronnie cocked her brow.

Mateo blinked at Keith, "You didn't sleep together did you?"

"Lance you _dog."_ Ronnie grinned from next to her brother. Even with a hole in his stomach, Lance managed to glare at her.

"We haven't slept together. W-We kissed _once."_ Lance uttered weakly, hissing as his wound throbbed harder.

Rosa stared down in awe.

"How is this _possible?"_

Allura huffed, seeing Keith's face convulse with pain in perfect timing to Lance’s.

"That isn't important right now - we need to get them to Lance's room. Thanks to his quick healing he should be mostly healed by the morning, but only if Keith is with him." She said.

"Lotor was headed for Keith's house." Lance groaned.

"So?" Veronica asked, "He's here."

"Shiro isn't." Lance blinked up at his brother and Camila, "You have to go get him before Lotor finds him."

Camila and Mateo exchanged identical, unsure glances.

"Fine." Mateo agreed reluctantly, "But if he rejects our help-"

"Then you drag him here. He may be an asshole, but he's Keith's brother." Lance said firmly, "Please, Matty."

Mateo glanced at Keith, who remained silent in Allura's arms. Mouth twitching a few times prior, he nodded his agreement. He and Camila took turns kissing Lance's head before springing into Mateo's car, Lance exhaling in relief, causing another batch of blood to come rushing to the surface of his skin.

"Let's get them inside." Allura said.

Rosa nodded in agreement, motioning towards Veronica who crouched down, sliding her arms around Lance and hauling him up against her, helping him stumble up towards the house. Rosa did the same with Keith, though he insisted on walking most of the way, resting on her shoulder and limping up the stairs. Keith wondered, if what he was feeling was a muted version of what Lance was, how much agony would the vampire be in right now?

Keith curled up at the end of Lance's bed, watching as Allura entered with a medical kit and began to stitch Lance up, doing it swiftly and as painlessly as possible before wrapping a thick bandage around his middle. He felt tiny pricks tingling over his skin with every stitch, tickling him and irritating his flesh. Lance was barely conscious, exchanging muffled conversation with the doctor to keep himself awake while she worked. Soon enough he was able to settle under his covers, letting Allura tuck him in by burrowing him under his sheets.

Allura shuffled over to Keith, running her fingers through his hair tenderly.

"I'm going to wait at home for Shiro. Will you be alright?"

Keith nodded, "I'll look after him." He glanced towards Lance, who was still burrowed out of sight beneath his duvet, though he was slowly stirring awake again. Allura kissed Keith on the forehead before leaving the room, the sound of her footsteps retreating downstairs following shortly after. Hearing a rustle from across the room Keith turned his attention back to Lance, who was pushing himself up.

He winced, feeling his stomach clench uncomfortably as Lance tucked pillows behind his back. He looked more tired than Keith had ever seen him, head throw back onto his headboard as he exhaled steadily. Keith shuffled towards him, unhesitant to worriedly cup his cheek.

Lance peeled his eyes open to stare steadily at Keith, nuzzling into his palm, "You don't have to stay. I'll be fine."

But instead Keith wordlessly raised his wrist to Lance's lips, pulling down the bandage. As Rosa had said, the balm she'd gifted him had healed the bite in no time at all, but the puncture marks still remained like ghosts on his skin.

He knew usually Lance would object, but there wasn't even a pause of hesitation before Lance bit down into his wrist. The pain proved too overwhelming for Lance to put up a fight, it seemed. As he drank, Keith's free hand landed in his hair, soothingly playing with the strands.

"It's okay, take as much as you need." He encouraged breathlessly, tossing his head back a little as Lance bit deeper into his arm. It was as reckless as Keith had ever seen him, his blood replenishing what Lance had lost and easing the pain in his abdomen. Keith could feel it ebbing away the more Lance drank, so gladly allowed him to continue.

There wasn't any doubt in Keith's mind that this was the longest Lance had ever let himself drink. His head started spinning quicker than usual, and once again he lost all feeling in his legs. He couldn't help the moan that escaped him when Lance desperately pulled him into his lap, the underlying strength in his fingertips holding Keith in place at his waist and hips.

"L- _Lance."_ Keith whimpered under his breath, prompting the vampire to finally release him. He appeared surprised with himself, eyes going wide as they observed Keith's pallid and needy expression. Keith's teeth grit together to fight off the arousal he could feel stirring in his belly, as Lance steadily pushed Keith from his lap.

"S-Sorry." Lance fumbled, reaching again for Keith's wrist. He licked and kissed at it softly before covering it with the bandage again.

Keith tugged him down, pulling Lance closer once they were laying side by side on the bed. He closed his eyes as he waited for the spinning of the room to stop. Lance's hands traveled soothingly up and down his body, brushing over his cheeks and his sides.

"It's okay." Keith finally mumbled, blinking his eyes open and pushing Lance's hair back out of his eyes, kissing his forehead, "Just sleep."

With Keith's face so close to his, Lance couldn't help but steal a kiss, taking Keith by surprise as he gently slid their mouths together. It was only for a moment, but it was just as intense as the first time, with Keith clinging to Lance's hair for strength while Lance thumbed at his hip. The blood still flavouring Lance’s mouth didn’t bother Keith in the slightest, their tongues pressing together lithely just once, before they pulled away.

"Wake me when your brother gets here. That is _not_ something I want to miss." Lance breathed, grinning up at Keith with his eyes barely halfway open. Keith nodded, giving Lance a final kiss before sitting up against the back of Lance's bed.

Lance curled up against him, resting his head in Keith's lap as he softly drifted in and out of sleep, Keith's talented fingers dancing over his face every time it contorted in pain to soften his features again. Keith struggled to stay awake, capturing tiny parts of conversation downstairs and in the hallway. Most of it was centered around their concern for him and Lance, though he did hear a heated discussion between Veronica and Luis about what she was going to do to Lotor next time she saw him.

At some point during the night she slipped inside, stirring a half-awake Keith to move him aside so she could reach Lance's bandages and change them. Keith's eyes widened when she pulled the old ones aside, revealing a stab wound that already looked halfway healed. She changed the bandages with precision before resting Lance back against Keith.

He was caught by surprise when Ronnie suddenly kissed his forehead, brushing her thumb over his chin affectionately.

"That's from all of us." She whispered before backing out into the hallway, closing the door behind her. After that Keith managed to get some sleep, a small smile gracing his lips as he sunk lower in the bed, resting his cheek on the top of Lance's head.

However he was disturbed a short time after by the slam of the front door and muffled shouting from downstairs. Through the haze of blood-loss and sleep, he distinctly made out Shiro's voice, sighing and detaching Lance's hands from his waist. The vampire stirred a little when Keith slipped from the bed, blinking up wearily.

"What's going on?" He murmured, still stuck halfway in the land of rest. Keith didn't have the heart to wake him up and drag him into the chaos downstairs, so just hushed him.

"Nothing, go back to sleep. I'll be back in a minute." He promised before silently leaving the room, seeing Lance's head fall back onto the pillow with a light thump. He headed towards the source of the havoc he could hear at the bottom of the staircase, freezing when his eyes landed on the scene playing out in front of him.

Shiro had Mateo shoved up against the wall while Camila tried pulling him back, hands clasped around his arms to keep him knocking Mateo onto the floor. Rosa stood a few feet behind them, arms folded and head shaking with a frown painted across her lips, while Ronnie filmed the action, Luis pressed behind her. Keith scowled, stomping down the stairs and slamming his hand down on the wall, grabbing their attention.

"Shiro!" Keith yelled, prompting his brother's head to fling around so quick he feared it would do a complete one-eighty. Keith looked down at his brother with his fists clenched.

"Stop fighting." He hissed, "Lance is trying to sleep and so are Mateo's _kids."_

He gestured to the vampire he could tell was having a very hard time not lashing out at Shiro. Shiro glanced towards Mateo with a scowl, reluctantly letting him go.

"Why did you bring me here?" Shiro asked, glaring up at Keith.

"Lotor was headed to our house. You were in danger, and they _saved_ you." Keith stepped off the staircase with a scowl, cocking his head towards Mateo and Camila.

"Why?" Shiro scoffed, "To earn my trust so they can kill me later?"

Camila's eyes shot daggers at Shiro as she stepped around to step slowly towards him.

"No _cabrón._ We helped you because Lance asked us to, and because you're Keith's brother. Believe me, we didn't want to save your sorry ass, but Keith is Lance's mate now, which makes him our _family._ And we do anything for family." She spat, her thick accent adding to the intimidation of her tone.

"How did you guys get him here without losing an eye?" Veronica mumbled to Mateo.

"Duct tape." He said flatly, "We had to shove him in the trunk."

Shiro made another attempt to fling himself towards Camila, only to be held back by Keith, and the siblings sighed.

"Seriously, Allura is best friends with _this_ guy?" Veronica puzzled.

Shiro spun to the girl, stomping towards her with his fists clenched, "Don't you dare say her name-"

Keith shot forwards, shoving Shiro away from Veronica before he could get another step closer. His chest heaved with adrenaline as he fiercely glared at his brother.

"Touch her and I might reconsider my decision to help you." He growled.

They all turned at the sound of a creaky step, seeing Lance appear at the bottom of the stairs, clutching his side and rubbing at his face tiredly.

"Keith?" He mumbled, "What's going on?"

"Nothing, go back to bed." Keith told him while Rosa approached Shiro, staring at him coldly while placing her daughter protectively behind her back. Shiro met the fiery woman's gaze, jaw clenched as she glared up at him hotly.

"I think it'd be best for you to go." She said hotly.

"No. I'm not leaving my brother here." Shiro flung around to Keith, "This is _madness._ Just come home with me." He pleaded once again, meeting only Keith’s icy glare.

"Lance needs me. Call Allura to pick you up and crash at her place tonight. I'll come by and we'll continue this tomorrow." He ordered. Shiro froze before Keith's words settled in, pursing his lips before storming out of the house, disappearing down the street. The whole family, who'd all been holding their breath until now, exhaled steadily.

Veronica stepped forwards, shoving her phone back into her pocket.

"No offense, dude, but your brother is a dick."

Keith swallowed, rubbing his thumb over his hand to soother himself.

"I'll talk to him. Hopefully I can get him to come around." He pressed his lips into a thin line, as if even he himself didn't quite believe what he was saying. Rosa swallowed as she turned to Keith, brow cocked expectantly.

"And if he doesn't?"

Everyone, including Lance, waited patiently for Keith's answer. His mouth twitched back and forth contemplatively as he stared out of the open door his brother had disappeared through, fingers tapping idly against his jean-clad thigh. He took a deep breath before nonchalantly shrugging, turning his gaze to everyone in the family as he replied.

"Then I guess he'll have to deal with me not being around anymore."

Just saying it left a bitter taste in Keith's mouth and a sharp pain in his chest, and this time it wasn't from Lance's stab wound. Rosa's gaze softened.

"Keith that's very sweet, but... he _is_ your brother. You don't have to sever your ties to him for us." She replied reluctantly, everyone in the family around her nodding in agreement. He gazed at them all affectionately, shaking his head in refusal.

"Anyone who wants to kill innocent people because of their own ignorance has no place in my life." He said solemnly, "I've made my choice. Now he has to make his."

When he turned back to Lance, the gaze he met was a hybrid of surprise and affection, aimed steadily down at Keith. Keith swallowed, grabbing Lance's hand and blinking up at him slowly.

"Let's go back to bed." He said, tugging Lance up the stairs. He followed without any objection, still a little weak on his feet but managing to hold himself up until they reached his bed again. Despite the confidence Keith had had in his words, Lance could feel the tremor in Keith's palm as it squeezed tightly against his own. As they lay back down, pillow tucked neatly beneath their heads, Lance turned to him and brushed his thumb down his cheek.

He kissed Keith's forehead deeply, brows knitting together as Keith inhaled sharply against his chest.

"That can't have been easy." Lance murmured, "Thank you."

Keith swallowed back the sudden surge of mixed emotion building in his throat, resting his head against Lance's shoulder as the vampire slipped into a deep sleep. However Keith didn't sleep as contentedly, all night long unable to rid himself of images of Shiro's hurt expression. When he finally fell asleep it was well into the morning, and there was a fearful countenance carved into his face.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: **Violence, Assault** and **Character Injury**

The next couple weeks went by in a flurry of end of semester cramming and rushing to get essays in on time. Winter break was steadily crawling closer, bringing with it a biting wind that finally forced Keith to buy a coat.

The days not wasted holed up in the library studying with his friends he spent with the McClains and Allura, when Shiro wasn't home, obviously. After Lance’s recovery it’d been decided it would be best for Shiro to remain with Allura until the threat of Lotor was dealt with. He’d resisted at first, of course, but soon discovered just how immovable Allura was when it came to those she cared about. She assured Keith that she had him under firm watch.

Keith would come and go between Allura’s apartment and Lance's house daily, using the pent up energy he used to emit through hunting to play with the kids or trek the city with Lance, letting him show him the best parts of the town.

Lotor remained silent during this time of peace, so Keith let himself indulge in the new experience of family life. He, Lance and Elena made trips to the beach a bi-weekly occasion, while Pidge and Hunk dropped by every couple of days to play video games and watch movies with them. More and more Keith found himself waking up on Lance's couch, with a steaming mug of coffee already at his side, courtesy of Rosa.

Elena had even managed to convince Keith to draw with her, one day. Rosa and Camila had marveled over his work, Camila insisting he followed her to work the next day. Despite his reluctance Keith had agreed, in the end finding himself enjoying a fellow artist’s company, and even learning a little.

But the free time he had left was reserved for Lance, and Lance only. They wasted the night away watching movies, taking turns picking out their favorites. Lance almost always chose a Disney classic, appalled that Keith had never seen one in his life. Keith continued to feed Lance regularly, which now nearly always resulted in them curled up in Lance's bed, kissing each other languidly. The times he fed him increased day by day, until nearly every night Keith found himself wrapped in Lance's arms, incisors buried in his wrist. It felt as easy as breathing, now, the soulmate bond replenishing his blood in no time. Combined with Rosa’s magical balm, he’d never felt better.

Allura swung by every Wednesday to check up on Luis, and deliver his supply of blood. She informed Keith that Shiro seemed to have calmed down a little, but was still, in general, extremely pissed at him. Keith had visited him a few days after his encounter with the McClains, as promised, but he'd only been met with silence and scorn. Shiro was still refusing to speak with him, seemingly having given up on trying to convince Keith to leave Lance. Maybe he'd finally realised that there was no way in hell that was ever going to happen, now.

Because for the first time in years Keith was _truly_ happy.

However he knew it couldn't last.

It all came crashing down exactly three weeks after Lance had been stabbed. On Monday he and Lance arrived at the campus early, trudging into the coffee shop, hand in hand. Between extra classes and trying to track down Lotor, they hadn't visited in the past few weeks. Not that it mattered; the moment Matt caught sight of their joined hands he grinned, freakishly similar to how Pidge had when she'd first seen their public displays of affection.

They both blushed as the taller Holt wolf-whistled, beginning to prepare their drinks before the door had even slammed shut.

"So you finally made it official?" He grinned while pumping two mugs full of coffee and cream. Lance and Keith looked at each other coyly.

"Sort of?" Lance supposed, glancing at Keith, who blinked, "Uh, yeah... I guess so."

"We're dating." Keith confirmed haphazardly, making Lance blush, to his pleasure. They plopped down on two stools next to where Matt buzzed around the area behind the counter, wrapping their frozen hands around their mugs, sighing in bliss.

"It's getting pretty cold out, huh?" Matt chuckled, "Still no word from Lotor?"

"He's been quiet for weeks." Lance grumbled, "However his minions have _not._ Adam called last night, apparently they found a whole family dead this time."

Adam was the McClains inside guy in the police, just like Thace had been Keith and Shiro's. Thanks to Keith's persuasion, Thace was no longer sharing information about the murders to Shiro, which was most likely for the best. If they were to bump into each other at a crime scene, Keith wasn't so sure Mateo would go so easy on him this time.

According to Lance, Adam was a half-vampire himself. His mother had been killed by hunters when he was very young however, so his human father had raised him. He hadn't even known of his vampire heritage until he was halfway through the police academy, and found himself almost taking a bite out of his room mate in the middle of the night. He'd sought out the McClains after his father told him the truth, and remained a close family friend.

"It's only a matter of time before Lotor makes his move." Keith said in a low mumble.

There was a ping from above the door as Pidge shuffled inside, teeth chattering as she tucked her palms into her armpits. In a flash Matt was handing her a ready-made hot chocolate, wearing a sympathetic face.

"Having fun, Pidget?" Lance grinned, turning to Keith, "Pidge feels the same way towards the cold as I do towards garlic."

Keith cocked his brow, "I thought garlic didn't affect you?"

"It doesn't. It's just fucking disgusting."

Pidge slid into the seat next to Lance, sidling up to him without even shooting out a comeback. Thanks to his vampire genes Lance rarely felt the cold, making him an excellent portable radiator during the winter months. He patted Pidge's head tenderly, making Keith smile.

"So what are you gonna do next?" Matt asked while retrieving a mug from the sink, drying it off before hanging it up on one of the several hooks above his head.

"Dunno." Lance shrugged, taking a gulp of his cappuccino, "There was one girl who survived. It'd probably be a good idea to question her."

"We can go next week." Keith agreed. Lance's eyes widened as he watched Keith down the rest of his cup in one go, slamming it down.

Sensing eyes on his face, Keith turned to him with a glare.

"I need to caffeinate if I'm going to survive Iverson for the next three hours." He grumbled.

Pidge and Lance both froze before falling forwards, groaning simultaneously.

"I forgot about that." Pidge whined into her hot chocolate, "Matt, can I hide out here?"

"I'm not losing my job because you have the heat capacity of an insect." Her brother frowned, "Just sleep during the lecture, or something."

She rested her head on the counter with a pout, thumbing at the rim of her mug solemnly. Lance patted her back encouragingly as Keith continued to survey the situation with a quizzical brow.

"It's too _cold."_ She whimpered.

"Suck it up, Pidge, we have ten minutes to get to class." Lance thumped her on the back, making her groan, "Come on, let's go before it gets even colder."

"Is that _possible?"_ Pidge wondered aloud as Lance pulled her out of her seat, tucking her two coats even tighter around her small frame. They called goodbye to Matt as they left the shop, Lance's hand sliding back into Keith's as naturally as could be. Keith thanked himself for remembering to wear a scarf that day, managing to conceal with the fabric the sudden smile that broke out over his lips at the small touch.

Lance grabbed a blanket from his trunk on the way to class, which quickly ended up wrapped around Pidge’s shoulders as they took their regular seats besides each other. As Pidge shivered, Lance and Keith laid languidly back in their seats, Lance's thumb brushing continuously over Keith's hand as they patiently waited for class to start. It made Keith shiver, which he quickly blamed on the coldness of the room when Lance gave him a concerned glance.

Unfortunately this only prompted Lance to offer him his jacket, the woolly material enveloping him with Lance's distinguishable smell and causing the red flush on his cheeks to rise so far up it was almost tickling his brow.

Punctual as ever, Iverson entered the room moments later in his usual plain white shirt and tie, brief case clasped in his hand. He was pink in the face, and trembling beneath his coat. Also punctual as ever, Lance's hand flew into the air.

"Cold, sir? Need a pick-me-up?" Lance cooed, throwing his arm around Keith's shoulder and pressing him into his waist. Keith pinched him sharply in the side, scowling at him.

"I'm quite alright, Mr. McClain, though if you and Mr. Kogane could cease your canoodling I would greatly appreciate it." Iverson grunted, throwing his coat onto the tall hanger besides his desk.

"There's no need to be jealous, professor, there's plenty of me to go around." The Cuban winked, tightening his hold around Keith's shoulders. Again there was a pang of pain near his stomach as Keith's fingernails bit into his skin, and his boyfriend glared up at him.

"Actually, scratch that." Lance quickly added, "It seems he has a tight grip on my balls."

"Congratulations." Iverson answered dryly, resting a pair of glasses on his face before turning his attention to the rest of the class, "In other news, we have another new student joining us today. I expect you all to greet him with the same friendliness you did Mr. Kogane." He said before glaring at Lance, "Or, maybe a little less."

Lance just finger-gunned, seeing his boyfriend's head shake with amusement beside him. Their heads snapped towards the door as it swung open, and the newest member of their class walked in, wearing only jeans and a t-shirt, despite the freezing weather. Keith realised why the moment he blinked up at his face. Of course, vampires didn't feel the cold. And this man was undoubtedly, unmistakably, _irrefutably_ a vampire.

All three of them sucked in a breath as Lotor stepped into the room, eyes sweeping across the students all fixated on him from their seats until they landed on Lance and Keith at the back of the classroom. His great size made _Iverson_ look puny as he walked over to the professor's side. How he'd managed to convince the school board he was younger than thirty blew Keith's mind.

"The _fuck_ is he doing here?" Pidge hissed, resembling a Russian grandma with her blanket draped over her head.

"Mr. Daibazaal, please take a seat wherever you'd like." Iverson gestured around the room. Unsurprisingly, he made his way towards the row of chairs behind Keith and Lance. The two boys grasped each other's hand firmly as he stepped past them, shooting them a fleeting smirk before plopping down in an isolated seat behind Keith. He leaned forwards, whispering into the space between the vampire and his mate.

"Good to see you boys." He mumbled menacingly, "Especially you, my little raspberry."

Keith froze when cold fingers stroked over his neck. Lance began to rise furiously out of his seat, Keith barely managing to tug him back down before he pounced on the man behind them. Pidge flung around to Lotor, fixing him with a foul sneer.

"Back the fuck away before I stab you with my compass." She hissed, withdrawing said item and brandishing it grievously.

"You're a feisty little thing, aren't you?" Lotor's eyes gleamed curiously down at her. The girl shook with rage flying out of her seat, blanket falling from her frame.

"I'll show you feisty, you _fucking-"_

"Miss Holt? Is there a problem?" Iverson asked suddenly from the front of the classroom, chalk almost snapping beneath his forceful grip. He looked even less amiable than usual, lips pursed and eyes sharply honed in on the trio and Lotor.

"No, sir." Pidge spat without breaking eye contact with Lotor, allowing Lance to drag her back into her seat. Keith feared the plastic would melt beneath her legs with how much she was fuming. If it were possible, he believed cartoon steam would be billowing from her ears.

Class continued on without any further interruption from Lotor, though the air around them remained terse. Keith could have sworn he felt his breath on his neck a few times, sending chills down his spine. He held onto Lance tightly, letting his soulmate soothe him with caresses to his legs and arms. Every time Lance squeezed his upper thigh he felt himself relax, only to spring back to attention when Lotor's presence reappeared close to his neck.

For three hours he withstood the tension, sighing with relief out loud when the period finally ended, Iverson announcing the end of class to the ragged students.

Keith released a tiny squeak of surprise, barely managing to grab his bag before Lance was dragging him out of the classroom, away from Lotor's heated gaze, which followed them until the moment they disappeared from the room. Keith allowed Lance to pull him to their usual hallway, keeping his eyes fixed onto the floor below his feet, worried that Lotor would return to his sights if he dared look up.

The hallway had sort of become _theirs_ over the past few weeks. There was a unanimous understanding between all the students that the hallway was not to be messed with. Keith was able to feed Lance in the supply closet without fear of anyone finding them in such a promiscuous position, and sometimes they would eat lunch rested up against the entrance to the hall, exchanging soft kisses and cuddling up while watching the sky roll past through the row of windows lining the passage.

As soon as the door to the hallway thudded shut Lance pulled Keith against him. Keith closed his eyes, letting the comfort of Lance's warmth settle over him and muffle the slight fear in his heart like soft cotton wool. They rocked together in silent understanding, Keith's hands carding through Lance's hair until the rapid beating he could feel against his own chest subsided.

"What's the plan?" He murmured into Lance's shoulder.

"Nothing. For now, just don't leave my side. Promise me..." Lance sighed haggardly, "...promise me you won't go anywhere alone. I know you can look after yourself, but it'll give me some peace of mind."

Keith kissed the sliver of neck in his reach softly, "I promise."

He and Lance smiled at each other softly. Keith continued to kiss lovingly at Lance's jaw and neck, unwinding the taught muscle he could feel there. He paused when he heard the sound of the door creaking open behind him and the small thud of a foot, Lance's back tensing beneath his fingers.

"So, this where you come to make out?" Lotor asked, leaning against a window a few meters away from Keith and Lance, biting into a gleaming red apple nonchalantly.

Keith stormed forwards, throwing Lotor up against the window by his collar.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" He hissed.

"Keith, be careful." Lance was at his side immediately.

"I'd listen to your mate, little bird." Lotor growled, "I don't enjoy being tossed around. And can't I be here to learn, like you? What's wrong with wanting to further my education?"

Keith released Lotor suddenly, dropping him back onto his feet. Lotor dusted himself off, calmly straightening out his shirt.

"Learn what? The art of being a total douche canoe? Cause you've already mastered it." Lance scowled. Lotor's gaze snapped to him, softening as he menacingly cocked his head.

"How's Ana, did you give her my message?" He asked, and Lance tensed, "I heard she's coming to town next week."

Lance swallowed, stepping forwards so he and Lotor were a breath apart. His eyes flashed with momentary hesitancy and he cleared his throat.

"How did you-?"

"I have eyes and ears everywhere, Lance. You'd best remember that." Lotor eyed him seriously.

He raised his apple to his lips, taking another bite of the fruit and licking the juice from his lips before sidling away from Lance and Keith, back towards the exit. He paused as he pulled the door open, turning one last time to smile at the pair wryly.

"I'll see you in class, boys."

The door thudded shut, a burst of wind jetting towards them with force. Keith's lip curled in distaste while Lance fell against the nearest wall, slamming his fist down on the brick. Keith eyed him warily, placing his hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

"We need to warn your family." He said softly. Lance turned to him, eyes wavering with emotion.

"She can't come home." His voice cracked, "She _can't."_

Keith shushed him, leaning up to kiss his lips with a tenderness he only possessed when it came to Lance. He held his cheeks with both palms, running his fingers down his face desperately.

"We'll keep her safe, Lance." He vowed, closing his eyes and pressing their heads together, "Everything will be okay."

"You have to be cautious." Lance shook his head, "Lotor will do anything to hit me where it hurts, and _you_ are my weakness. So please, be careful, Keith."

"I will be." He promised, kissing Lance's nose affectionately. Lance rubbed his thumb over his wrist, blinking down at him with adoration glimmering in his eyes. He sighed, pulling Keith against him and placing his hand in his hair.

"I'm sorry for dragging you into all this." He mumbled. Keith chuckled, shaking his head against Lance's chest.

"It's not all bad." He said softly, "I got you, didn't I?"

———————❖———————

Keith and Lance entered campus the following day hiding three blades and two silver loaded pistols between them, hidden in their pants and shoes. Keith taught him where to put them to make them easy to access, despite Rosa's initial objection of them carrying weapons at all.

"We have to be prepared, mami. We'll be fine." Lance had promised her that morning before hopping into his car with Keith and Hunk. He and Pidge had strict instructions to stay as far away as possible from the new student, which while pleasing Hunk greatly, made Pidge threaten to carve out their eyeballs. However, after some placating from Hunk, she'd reluctantly agreed.

The week went on just like that, with Lance and Keith on high alert at all times, while Lotor surprisingly stayed mostly quiet, other than the few snipes he'd direct at Keith in the minutes before class started. As promised, Keith stayed at Lance's side the at all times. He'd even taken to sleeping in Lance's bed at night, taking advantage of Lance's vulnerable state to map the features of his face while he slept, wondering when exactly he'd become so gay.

However, on Friday, Lotor finally made his move.

Keith had been skipping all his art classes to stay close to Lance. But Coran was getting concerned for his grades, and he couldn't afford to waste any more time he ideally should be spending on his latest project. So Friday afternoon he decided to go to class, which after several hours of arguing, Lance agreed to with dismay. His boyfriend gave Shay strict instructions not to let Keith out of her sight, much to Keith's disdain.

So with Shay stuck as his babysitter, Keith found himself spending the majority of Friday afternoon in front of his assigned easel, painting and sketching in her presence, which wasn't nearly as stifling as Lance's. Lance had been so concerned for Keith, it felt like he hadn't had a single second to breathe during all the time they spent together. He was thankful to have a few hours of peace.

He ended up painting well into the evening. Shay had long since completed her assignment, so idly sketched and texted with Hunk to occupy herself.

"You don't have to stay, y'know?" Keith told her, turning away from his canvas for a brief second, "It's past school hours, Lotor shouldn't be around anymore."

"I have my orders. You know what Lance would do to me if I left you alone." She said pointedly, "He's a sweetheart, but he _is_ also a vampire that could very easily kill me.”

Keith sighed, standing up and tugging off his pinny.

"Well, I have to pee, and as much as I appreciate you looking out for me, you can't follow me into bathroom. I'll be back in a sec." He patted her shoulder fondly as he passed, seeing her mouth curl apprehensively.

"Are you sure? I can come stand guard outside?" She suggested jokingly.

"The bathroom is just round the corner, and the building is practically deserted, I'll be fine." He assured her with a chuckle before slipping out of the room.

As he suspected there wasn't a person in sight as he traipsed through the quiet hallways. The nearest bathroom wasn't too far away, though it was dark when he slipped inside, since the janitor had shut the lights off during his final clean. Only the final dregs of sunlight lit the bathroom, filtering in through the frosted windows onto the floor.

He used the bathroom as quick as possible, unwilling to cause Shay any extra worry. He knew Lance would be angry at him for going alone, but surely he was safe in a deserted college bathroom at night, right?

Yeah, now he said it aloud in his head, he realized maybe he should have accepted Shay's offer of waiting outside.

He felt himself becoming tense, every creak of pipes and drip of the tap making him flinch. He was in that state of hyper-sensitivity, where his mind conjured sensations that weren't even real to scare him, like the whistling of wind, or something creeping up his arm, or footsteps slowly approaching the door from the hallway.

_Wait..._

He flung around, but it was too late. The door had already been wrenched open, revealing Lotor with his eyes aglow, steadily advancing towards Keith. Keith's breath caught in his throat.

"I'll admit, little bird, you're very good at avoiding me. But I have you trapped, now." Lotor gave him a predatory grin as he steadily backed Keith against the sinks, placing his hands on the counter either side of Keith's hips.

"Don’t fucking touch me." Keith writhed when Lotor took a deep inhale of his neck, flinching when a clawed hand wrapped around his wrist.

"Mmm, I like it when you beg." Lotor's eyes flashed to his, glowing rapaciously as he brought Keith's wrist to his mouth, leisurely licking over the teeth marks there.

With a furious growl Keith kicked forwards, hand flying to his waist to pull the blade attatched to him from its holster. But Lotor recovered from the impact of Keith’s flailing legs, snatching Keith wrist mid air before it reached his weapon.

Lotor cocked a brow, pushing aside Keith’s jacket to peer down at the hilt of his blade. He dragged it from its confines, trailing his thumb over the thin, sharpened metal.

"Did you intend to kill me with this?" He blinked at Keith with a curious upturn to his lips, "Or... don’t tell me you have a gun tucked away somewhere?"

Keith resisted the urge to scream when Lotor began to pat him down, spending far too much time inspecting Keith's person for any weapons. His stare and firm hands held Keith is place easily despite his kicking and flailing until he found the other two blades and Keith's two pistols, letting the bullets they held cascade to the floor before dropping them and kicking them away with a clatter. Keith's breath hitched at the sound, his legs trembling even further now he had nothing but his fists to defend himself with, and with his brawn and height he knew Lotor could easily overpower him.

"Now let's get on, shall we?" Lotor said cheerfully, wrapping his hand tightly around Keith's stomach when he attempted to dart away, "Ah ah ah~ Where do you think you're going, raspberry?"

"Lance will kill you." Keith gravely warned him as he was shoved against the counter once again, the edge digging into his lower back, "He won't let you go alive if you do this."

"I'm willing to take that chance." Lotor's lip curled into a pleasurable snarl, his fangs elongating out of his mouth as he dragged Keith's wrist back to his mouth, biting into it without a trace of hesitation. Keith couldn't suppress his cry of pain; it was nothing like Lance's bite. Gone were the soft touches and caresses, instead the rush of blood leaving his arm throbbed and stung relentlessly. It wasn’t tender or soft. It was _brutal._

Lotor pulled away from his wrist with a lustful sigh, gazing up at Keith hungrily.

"I was right. _Definitely_ raspberries." He growled, lunging forwards.

Keith heard a _crack_ as his head was shoved up against the mirror, and Lotor's incisors sunk into his neck. He didn't even have the capacity to scream. It was nothing like being bitten in the wrist; a river's worth of blood flowed into Lotor's mouth with every drag, leaving Keith disorientated and giddy in seconds. Noises he'd never even heard himself make were tumbling from his mouth, nonsensical but all laced with the same, pleading tone.

A shooting pain in his neck suddenly had Keith convulsing and his eyes flying wide. The place where Lotor was connected to ached like _hell,_ making the room spin and Keith unable to gulp in anymore air, leaving his lungs barren and dry.

He was about to collapse, he could feel it. Darkness was ebbing into his field of vision, and his limbs felt like boulders attached to the rest of his body. He couldn't even twitch his fingers in objection. He could only lie there as the life was slowly sucked from him. Lotor held him so tightly he was sure to leave bruises, though he supposed it didn’t really matter since he'd be dead soon. His mouth had tumbled open some time ago, now barren of moisture and barely able to accommodate the noises he made. He took a large gulp, wetting his mouth as much as he could to croak out-

_"Lance."_

And as if whatever God that existed out there had heard his call, the bathroom door was kicked open so fast it almost flew off its hinges. Lance stormed in, looking more fearsome than Keith had ever seen him. Like Lotor, his eyes were lit up with flecks of yellow, except rather than glistening lustfully, they were flickering like fire as he stared wide-eyed at the scene in front of him, taking in Keith's pale, terrified face and the blood dripping down his neck. With a deep growl he wrenched Lotor off of Keith, flinging him into one of the stalls behind him and advancing on him with a snarl.

Lotor looked up at him with a smirk, panting as he wiped the remnants of his meal from his bottom lip. Lance flew forwards, slamming Lotor's head back against the wall, baring his fangs and beginning to pull his fist back, set to swing.

"Lance, don't-!" Keith wheezed, attempting to push himself off the counter, only to fall into a heap on the floor when his legs refused to carry him. At the sound of Keith's protest Lance halted, turning to his boyfriend.

Using Lance's momentary distraction Lotor swiftly flung his head back, connecting it with Lance's chin and sending him soaring backwards. Lance fell against the counter with a ‘crack’ before toppling off, landing on his back next to Keith, gaze snapping up as he readied himself to shove Lotor into the door. But the vampire was already halfway through the exit, licking Keith's blood from his lips and giving Lance a salute.

"Until next time, boys." He gave a coy smirk before disappearing into the hallway. Lance released a frustrated grunt, hurrying towards the door. But a hand wrapped around his ankle, stopping him from taking another step. His head flung around, the yellow suddenly dissipating from his eyes when they caught sight of Keith.

"You can't." Keith panted, "Not here."

 _"Fuck."_ Lance hissed, dropping to his knees and sliding over to Keith's side, "I'm sorry, I'm _so_ sorry-"

"Y-Your house. _Now."_ Keith wheezed. Lance nodded obediently, heaving Keith into his arms and sprinting into the parking lot towards his car. He managed to make his way there without jostling Keith too much, carrying him with ease while he ran thanks to his agility. He yanked his jacket off, pressing it to Keith's weeping neck as he laid him out on the back seat.

"I waited out here for you. I knew you needed your space for a while, but I had a feeling something like this would happen." Lance cursed, "How could I ever leave you alone?" He whispered.

Keith's throat had long since dried out, but he managed to convey everything he wanted to say with a long, hard gaze- _it wasn't your fault, it'll be okay._

After triple checking Keith was comfortable and not going to bleed out over his back seat, Lance slid behind the wheel. His knee jogged anxiously the entire drive to his house, chewing down on his thumbnail until it was paper thin. His head whipped back every couple of seconds to make sure Keith was still awake, reassurances slipping past his lips, though he wasn't sure if Keith could even hear him anymore.

Through the window, he was thankful to see most of his family sat in the lounge when he pulled onto the driveway, gently lifting Keith from the car, wrapped up in a blanket with Lance's jacket now soaked in blood. He knocked frantically at the door, shouting though the cracks.

"Mamá, ven rápido!" He pleaded, meeting his mother's wide eyes the moment she yanked the door open. Her hand flew to her mouth and she gasped, eyes becoming cloudy.

"Keith?" She whispered, quivering, "Lance, que pasó?!"

"Lotor happened." He breathed as he rushed to get Keith towards the sofa. Each of his sibling's mouths fell open when they caught sight of Keith, Veronica rushing forward to help Lance lift Keith onto the couch.

"Holy shit." Her voice wobbled and Rosa hugged Luis close to her, "W-What do we do?"

"The bite of someone other than your mate makes you extremely sick. And since he's human, it'll take a far worse toll on his body than that blood did to you, Lance." Rosa knelt next to the couch, slowly peeling Lance's jacket from Keith's mutilated neck, "With Allura’s help we should be able to fix this, but he'll be on this couch for several days, at least."

"But you _can_ save him?" Veronica insisted desperately.

Rosa nodded, "He should be fine. It was a good thing you got to him when you did, Lance. If he'd have lost any more blood we could have had a corpse on our couch instead." She said gravely.

"I'll call Allura, let her know what's happened." Lance told her, reaching his blood stained hand into his pocket, fumbling with the digits. His fingers were trembling so hard he could barely punch in the first four numbers. Veronica grabbed hold of his hand, softly taking the phone from him.

"I'll call her. Stay with Keith." She rubbed her hand over his shoulder. He kissed her forehead gratefully before lowering himself onto the end of the couch near Keith's feet.

"Come on, Keith." He grit his teeth as his mother began to tend to his boyfriend's neck, _"Fight."_

———————❖———————

“I’ll be right there. Thank you for letting me know."

Allura hung up with a grave sigh, fiddling with her phone in her hands. She reached for her cardigan hung up on one of the kitchen hooks, wrapping it around her as she soundlessly padded into the living room, grabbing her keys.

"Keith was attacked. Lance brought him home but he's going to be sick for a while. I’m headed over to replenish as much of his blood as I can." She told the figure lying on the couch, receiving no reply, per usual. She sighed, shuffling towards the couch and folding her arms seriously.

"If there was ever a time to get your head out of your ass it'd be now, Takashi." She scowled, "Whatever you feel towards him doesn't matter right now. He’s your brother."

Shiro turned to her with a glare, "The only reason he's in danger is because of Lance. He refused to heed my warning, sonow he has to pay the consequences." He said stubbornly. Allura reeled back incredulously.

"He's _dying,_ Shiro." She scolded him, "Your parents are already dead. You can kill all the vampires you want, but it won't bring them back, and it _definitely_ won't make you happy. He is all you have left."

Shiro's expression was steeled when he blinked back to her.

Her gaze softened, "You can come with me, and be by his side, if you'd like." She offered, "Or you can stay, and lose him forever."

Shiro sucked at his teeth as she offered him his hand, glancing at it, lacking surety. Her fingers twitched invitingly, and her head cocked.

"So what will it be?"


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *throws new character into chapter* Can anyone fucking guess what came out the day I wrote this?

When Allura pulled up outside the house and left her car along with Shiro, the general reaction was shock and awe. As they approached the door, and Shiro locked eyes with Rosa guarding the threshold, Lance heard everyone present suck in a breath.

"He'll play nice." Allura elbowed Shiro in violent encouragement, _"Right?"_

Rosa cocked her head, folding her arms expectantly. Shiro pursed his lips, nodding reluctantly. After a few beats of silence Rosa apprehensively allowed him inside, earning a thankful smile from Allura as she passed.

"I'll keep an eye on him." She promised. Rosa gave her an accepting, albeit unsure nod.

Shiro's eyes darted around as he let Allura lead him into the living room, where Keith lay unconscious on the couch. Lance was curled up asleep beside him like a guard dog, tightly holding Keith's hand. Shiro glanced distastefully at the bandage around his brother’s neck as Allura pulled out her medical kit and began inspecting him, peeling away the bloody tissues to reveal the marred skin of Keith’s neck. Slowly, Shiro lowered himself to the ground next to his brother, rubbing his hand over his mouth at the sight of him.

Mateo froze when he entered the room and laid his eyes on the scene ahead of him. His mother drifted to his side holding a freshly made cup of tea, and he nodded towards Shiro.

"What's _he_ doing here?" He whispered.

Rosa shrugged, "He wanted to see Keith. I guess Allura finally got through to him."

Shiro's eyes snapped around at the sound of their mumbling, causing Rosa to roll her eyes, stepping forwards and offering to him the steaming mug of green tea held in her palms.

"Relax, querido, we aren't going to hurt you." She sighed, "You really need to learn to trust people more."

"You made him _tea?"_ Mateo scowled.

"He is our guest, and Keith's brother." Rosa shrugged, "And he looked cold." She glanced towards his bare arms. He hadn't had the sense to put on a coat before leaving.

Allura nudged him, nodding towards Rosa.

"Say thank you." She encouraged him in a hissed tone, "They didn't have to let you in, you know."

Shiro pursed his lips at her before glancing down at the tea in his lap, swallowing thickly.

"Thanks..."

Rosa smiled triumphantly, patting him on the shoulder, seeing Shiro wince as he suppressed the urge to flinch away, "You're Keith's family. Which makes you _our_ family, like it or not. So I think it'd be good for us to get along."

Shiro furrowed his brow, "I tried to kill your son less than a month ago." He stated with unmuted confusion.

Rosa waved her hand back and forth, "Water under the bridge."

"Keith was trying to kill Lance when they first met, remember? Look at them now." Mateo gestured towards the sleeping boys, wrapped up together in a cocoon of blankets, "We forgive easily."

Allura glanced between Shiro's shocked face and Rosa and Mateo smugly, shaking her head though her heart was full and fit to burst. Her movement cast a shadow over Lance, who blinked his eyes open wearily.

"Oh, shit..." She mumbled as Lance sat up, locking eyes with Shiro instantly. He froze, jaw clenching shut, as did Shiro’s. There was an intense sensation crackling between them as they surveyed each other, Lance looking ready to pounce the moment Shiro dared to even flinch.

"Ah, did you sleep well, amor?" Rosa purred, stepping forwards to inspect her son’s face.

"Why is _he_ here?" Lance scowled at Shiro.

"You know why." Rosa nodded towards Keith, "He deserves to be with his brother at a time like this."

Shiro glanced away sheepishly as Rosa defended him, frowning deeply down into his mug. He could feel Lance eyeing him with distrust, making his lips purse and fingers twitch.

"What happened?" Shiro asked, turning his gaze to his brother's pallid face and tight brow.

Lance frowned, pushing some of Keith's hair out of his sweaty face as he gazed dotingly down at him.

"Lotor cornered him in the bathroom and attacked him." Lance swallowed, "He lost a lot of blood."

"Will... will he be okay?" Shiro asked quietly.

"He'll be fine." Allura answered, finishing up with properly dressing Keith's bleeding neck, "He'll just need a lot of rest. And Lance, of course." She added, giving Lance a soft smile.

Shiro's eyebrows knitted together, and he opened his mouth. But Rosa answered his question for him before it even had the chance to form in his throat.

"Soulmates share a special bond. Having Lance nearby will heal Keith quicker." She told him, "The bite should be mostly faded by tomorrow. After that he'll just need a bit of time to get the venom out of his system."

Shiro pinched his brow, rubbing it therapeutically, "I thought Keith was kidding when he told me about that."

"Yeah, well he wasn't." Lance said coldly, raising his wrist to show Shiro the name painted across it. Shiro studied it in awe before his face fell into something more grave, and he looked guiltily towards Keith.

"He tried telling me. About you, about Lotor - God, maybe if I had listened we could have solved all this by now." His mouth formed a thin line, and Allura crouched down next to him softly.

"He'll be glad that you're here." She assured him, "He hasn't said it, but I know he's missed you. And I know you missed him too."

Shiro nodded, resting his hand on Keith's.

"You can make this right, if that's what you want." Lance told him, taking Shiro by surprise, "He'll forgive you."

Shiro glanced up at Lance quizzically, studying the way Lance comfortingly toyed with his brother's hair. Since Lance awoke and began to touch him, Shiro had noticed the way Keith's face had relaxed. Even in the depths of sleep, he nuzzled further into Lance's touch.

"How are you so sure?" Shiro asked.

Lance glanced towards him, "I know him. Allura's right, he's missed you, so if you play it right, he'll be speaking to you again in no time." He smiled fondly down at Keith.

Lance sat up, fiddling with the ends of his shirt, "Keith loves you a lot, y'know? And I know that you just wanted to protect him. But now I'm a part of his life just as much as you, whether you like it or not." He told Shiro confidently, "So if it's okay with you, I'd like to start over."

Shiro blinked as Lance outstretched his hand, no hesitant tremble in sight. Shiro stared at the limb for several, intense seconds, before steadily raising his own hand, clasping it with Lance's. They exchanged a firm shake over Keith's sleeping body, and a smile spread over Lance's face.

"So. What are we gonna do about Lotor?" Shiro asked when they finally broke eye contact. Rosa settled down at the end of the couch, her hand resting on Keith's leg.

"Lotor is the most bloodthirsty vampire I've ever known. His need for revenge is so strong he's terrorized our family for years, and he has no weaknesses. Taking him down won't be easy." Mateo stepped forwards, arms folded.

"We should discuss this once Keith wakes up." Rosa suggested, "For now let’s all get some sleep. Shiro and Allura, there's some chicken soup left on the stove if you want to heat it up. You both look like you need to eat."

"Thank you, Rosa." Allura smiled, lifting Shiro off of the floor to guide him towards the kitchen. As they neared the open door, Veronica entered the room, pausing as she reached the border of the door to stare up at Shiro. He recognized her, glancing away with an expression that almost resembled shame.

She cocked her head and blinked up at him, "Still trying to kill us?"

Shiro swallowed, "No."

She nodded slowly, making him jump with shock when her hand suddenly landed on his shoulder, patting it firmly.

"Cool. Welcome to the family." She said with a beaming smile before stepping past him to go sit next to Keith. Shiro gave Allura a perplexed glance, watching her roll her eyes as she dragged him towards the kitchen.

"Ignore Veronica, she'll make you rethink your whole existence if you talk to her for too long." Allura told him, enjoying his stunned expression throughout all of dinner.

Allura and Shiro left a few hours after that. Rosa promised to tell them when Keith woke up so Shiro could come talk to him. A calm seemed to settle over Lance and the rest of the family after they left, a smile gracing Lance's lips for hours at the thought of Keith's face when he found out Shiro had come to visit. He knew Keith had been anxious about their distance.

For the following few days Hunk, Shay and Pidge all came by to see Keith. Shay brought Keith's painting he'd been working on to him - a landscape image of the beach, a tan and suspiciously Lance-like figure in the center, smiling towards him - which Keith took back with a blush. Hunk and Pidge played board games with him while Lance made lunch, Keith managing to push himself into a sitting position, to Lance's glee. As Rosa had said, he was permanently feverish and his stomach churned twenty-four hours a day, trying to reject the little food he ate. Any normal little thing he managed to do gave Lance a little flicker of hope.

Rosa was also right (though honestly, when wasn’t she) about how quickly the bite on Keith's neck healed. Her magical balm and Lance's presence turned it into a phantom of a memory overnight. But still, the sight of his scarred neck made Keith’s belly lurch and his face pale, and looking at it nearly always ended up with him hunched over the toilet, hurling his guts out while Lance rubbed his back. Lance assured him it would fade overtime, but still, he avoided mirrors as much as he could. He showered with Allura's help and when Shiro finally did come by again, he greeted his brother with a tight hug, sighing in relief when his brother returned it.

"I'm sorry." Shiro whispered down to him, "I'm so sorry, Keith."

And Keith had waited so many weeks for that moment, he couldn't help the stream of overwhelmed tears that began to collect in his eyes and spill down his face.

After that, Shiro came by every day. He struck up a surprisingly sweet relationship with Veronica, joking with her and sometimes even joining in with poking fun at Keith. He tolerated Lance- Keith would even go as far to say that Shiro liked him when he could forget he was a vampire. Which was still a problem, Keith knew, no matter how much Shiro wanted to repent, but at least the hunter was showing progress.

On Wednesday Allura came by for her usual check-up on Luis, bringing Shiro along with her. Lance was resting comfortably on the couch with Keith's head on his lap as they watched TV. Keith had his eyes closed and a content expression on his face, Lance’s soothing fingers stroking over his stomach assisting him with getting the sleep he needed to recouperate.

"Hi." Keith greeted his brother, cracking one eye open as Shiro took his usual seat in the armchair, arms resting on his knees.

"How are you?" Shiro asked.

Keith smiled, toying with Lance's fingers placed on his waist, "Much better."

Shiro had gotten used to seeing Keith and Lance's affection at this point. It'd surprised him the first time he'd seen Keith cuddle up to or kiss his boyfriend, finding it strange to see Keith so open about his feelings. Rosa told him it was the soulmate bond, but either way Shiro couldn't help but feel slightly happy. He hadn't seen Keith so comfortable with another person in years.

"Shiro, can you come help me a second? I need someone tall that isn't Lance." Veronica swung her head around the kitchen door. Shiro nodded with a shrug, following her into the kitchen.

Lance leaned down to kiss Keith swiftly.

"I'm just gonna grab a drink." Lance told him, swinging his legs off of the couch and pushing himself up. Keith noticed him a wobble a little, and it suddenly dawned on him how long it'd been since Lance had drank. _Really_ drank.

"Lance." Keith asked, grabbing onto his wrist to stop him before he could retreat to the kitchen, "You need blood. You can't keep putting it off." He said firmly. Lance shook his head, tugging his hand out of Keith's grip.

"It's alright, Keith. Really." He told his boyfriend, ruffling his hair, "You need to heal, you can't afford to give me any more blood."

Keith rolled his eyes, "I feel fine - besides, maybe it'll help me get better if you bite me? I _want_ to help, Lance. How many times do I have to tell you?"

"I saw your face when he bit you." Lance scowled, "We’re connected, remember? I felt your fear, Keith, and it was terrifying. I don't want you feeling like that about me."

Keith sighed, grabbing hold of Lance's arm again and pulling him back down onto the couch next to him. He kissed Lance softly, holding firmly onto his chin.

"I'm not afraid of you." He breathed, tone laced with humor, "Why would I offer if I was? _Please,_ drink." He said, raising his wrist up. Lance took it hesitantly with pursed lips. Rolling his eyes, Keith forced his flesh to Lance's mouth.

He felt nothing but a small pang when Lance bit him, and after that it was all familiar. The slight arousal pooling in his belly, the bleary warmth in his head; it was all Lance. He rested his cheek on Lance's shoulder with a comfortable sigh, tenderly playing with the strands of hair he could reach. He could tell Lance was holding himself back more than usual, taking tiny drags of Keith's blood that he knew were nearly not enough to satisfy him. Oh well, he thought, he would keep forcing Lance to drink until he finally granted himself some gratification.

What he didn't notice was Shiro and Veronica returning to the room, hovering at the threshold of the door. Shiro watched Lance drink from Keith as he tenderly held him in his arms, the dark haired boy whispering at him intelligibly with a smile on his face, despite the fact he was currently having his blood drained from his body.

"Still find it disgusting?" Veronica piped up, fully aware that Shiro had forgotten she was even at his side while fixated on Keith and Lance's position.

Shiro glanced down at her, mouth curling apprehensively, "It’s... _strange."_

"I find it tender." Veronica said softly, "You say it's just a means of survival, but it takes the deepest form of trust to let someone do something like that to you. I know it isn't the greatest way to bond with someone, but it's so clear how much they love each other." She smiled fondly.

"Keith... loves him?" Shiro's mouth parted.

Veronica shrugged, "I don't know if they've said it yet, but I've never seen a stronger pairing, to be honest. Not even my parents."

Shiro swallowed, feeling a hand almost half the size of his land on his arm.

"It'll take time to get used to it. But the sooner you accept that this is his reality, the sooner you and Keith can get close again."

He nodded, letting her guide him away from the room to leave the boys in their own company. And though it was slow, Shiro could feel the walls around his heart being torn down, and by just one single touch from a small vampire girl.

———————❖———————

Thursday night Rosa called the whole family, including Shiro and Allura, into the living room. Keith was looking much better than the week before, to Shiro's joy, now able to carry himself around the house, albeit slowly. The family crowded around the dinner table, glancing expectantly at woman sat at the head of the table with her hands folded.

Lorenzo, who'd recenty arrived home from his most recent business trip, stood behind her, resting on the back of her chair. Per usual, he glared intently at Shiro when he entered the room. Needless to say, Lorenzo had not been pleased by his presence when he'd come home. But he condoned him, for Keith’s sake.

Rosa stared round at each of them gravely, her husband's hands settling comfortingly on her back as she began to speak.

"Ana just called. She and Marco will be arriving here tomorrow."

 _"Tomorrow?"_ At least three people around the table parroted incredulously. Veronica shot up, slamming her palm down on the table as she looked desperately towards her mother.

"Mamá you aren't going to let her come, right?"

"You know how she is, amor. Once Ana gets an idea in her head, it's impossible to talk her out of it." Rosa said sadly.

Before Veronica could protest again, a hand landed on her shoulder. Lance eased his sister downwards, standing to gaze around the table, making sure to lock eyes with every person in the room.

"It's too late to stop her from coming, but while she's here, we mustn't let the opportunity to catch Lotor go to waste. Me and Shiro have been talking, and we think we've come up with a plan that will not only ensure Lotor's capture, but his entire clan's."

"I looked into the lone survivor of the latest attack." Shiro explained, "Her name is Romelle. Apparently she wasn't home during the attack, but knowing Lotor, he wouldn't have left her alive without good reason. Lotor has never killed a whole family before. He murdered Nyma, and left her son and husband alive." Shiro added, "But _why?"_

"Adam sent me files on all the victims. It took a while, but we found something that connected them all. Romelle's parents and brother, and all the other victims frequented the bar Nyma worked at, Oriande." A few people's eyes sparked with recognition, "Lotor used to go there all the time with Ana, remember? Our theory is that Nyma and the other people who were killed uncovered what Lotor was doing there." Lance said firmly.

"Which is what, exactly?" Mateo growled.

"We've been tracking a few of Lotor's underlings. They all commute to the bar on a daily basis, even during hours when it's closed."

"We also looked into the owner of the bar," Lance added, "Turns out he died a few years ago, and the bar was passed down to his only son." He blinked at his brother gravely, "Guess who?"

"Lotor." Mateo presumed, and Lance nodded solemnly.

"It's likely he's using the bar as a nest to house his nameless underlings. If we can take all of them down, we'll be unraveling one of the largest nameless vampire networks in the state."

The table went quiet, several mouths twitching with uncertainty as Lance finished. Lorenzo cleared his throat, standing upright with dominance, giving Lance a firm stare.

"What's the plan?"

Lance's mouth twisted into a small smile, "I'll go question Romelle this afternoon. She's staying at Adam's at the moment - apparently they're old friends. Keith and I were going to go together, but he's still too weak to leave the house, so I'll take Shiro and Veronica."

Everyone turned to Shiro quizzically, who cocked his brow, pointing at himself dumbly.

"Me?"

"You have experience with this sort of thing, talking to victims, interrogation. I’ll need your help to get the truth out of her. Veronica will come to put her at ease - her family just died. Mateo would be too intimidating, and Luis is far too young. Having another female presence there will make her more comfortable." He explained, "We'll find out what she knows about her family's murder and use it to our advantage, if possible."

”Is that okay with you?” Keith blinked up at Shiro expectantly.

Shiro deliberated for a few seconds, before slowly nodding in agreement, “I’ll go.”

A pleased smile broke out across Keith’s face.

"And what about when Ana arrives?" Rosa asked impatiently, "Lotor will come for her."

Lance stared at her confidently, nodding in agreement.

"I know. In fact, I'm counting on it."

———————❖———————

Adam had relocated to central LA a few years ago, into the hustle and bustle of city life. His apartment was a good half hour drive from Lance's house, which gave Lance, Shiro and Veronica plenty of time to plan their approach.

"She's bound to still be in shock, so it's best if we don't grill her too much." Lance told them firmly, "We’ll see if she knows anything, and if not, we can regroup later."

Veronica nodded in agreement, "Did you read through her statement?"

"Yeah, but there's not much in there." Lance sighed, "All she said was that she was out of town, and she doesn't know who would want to murder her parents and brother."

"Think she's lying?" Shiro cocked his brow.

Lance gave him a dry stare, "Obviously. Telling the truth would mean revealing our existence to the police. Adam said she told him a little more, but she's still keeping something to herself. We just have to figure out what."

"Interrogate the orphan but don't scare the crap out of her. Got it." Veronica nodded.

"You're here to make her feel comfortable, remember?" Lance glared at her, "You just play nice and focus on keeping her calm, me and Shiro will do all the snooping."

She agreed with an air of nonchalance as they pulled up at the door of Adam's building, tapping her feet nervously against the linoleum elevator floor as they whizzed up to his floor. Shiro cocked his brow at the sound, while Lance wrapped his arm around her shoulder, squeezing reassuringly.

"You don't have to be nervous, hermanita." He said softly.

"I'm just pissed." She huffed, making her fringe dance, "Lotor destroyed this girl's life, and the lives of countless others, yet we're the ones doing damage control. We haven't seen our sister in years because of him, yet that _pendejo_ gets to walk free."

Lance's expression mirrored her frustration as he tenderly kissed her hair.

"We're gonna get him, Ronnie." He promised as the elevator doors opened, "We'll make him pay for everything he's done to us."

"He deserves to die for what he's done - why _can't_ we just kill him? Everybody already thinks we're murderers." She mumbled, giving a non-discreet glance Shiro’s way.

The hunter’s face flashed with something akin to hurt as Veronica glared at him.

”Veronica... I know how misguided I was.” He began sincerely, “But you can’t let the prejudiced opinions of others change who you are. You aren’t a killer, no matter what other blind-sighted hunters might say.”

The young vampire pursed her lips as if she were in pain.

"We’ll prove them all wrong." Lance said firmly, pressing the buzzer outside of Adam's door, hearing a muffled voice call in response from inside.

Veronica drooped beneath the weight of Shiro’s hand as it fell on her shoulder. He squeezed it gingerly, assuringly.

”I came around. Someday, everyone else will too.” He told her softly.

"He'll get what's coming to him, but we can't stoop to his level, Ronnie."

She smiled wryly, "I don't think we'll have a choice, Lance."

Lance furrowed his brow, opening his mouth to ask what she meant. However he was soon interrupted by the opening of Adam’s front door, revealing the young, bespectacled man dressed in sweatpants and an old t-shirt.

He blinked at them for a second before pushing the door open further to let them inside the apartment, nodding down the hall adorned with bright art and photographs.

"She's in the front room." Adam told them, "She hasn't said a word all week, so don't be surprised if she stays silent the whole time."

"Thank you, Adam." Lance said sincerely.

The cop sighed, running his hand through his hair, "I've never seen so many murders in such a short period of time. This guy is bad news."

"We're aware." Veronica said gravely, "We're doing everything we can to track him, but he's a slippery bastard."

Adam nodded in agreement, finally glancing towards their companion. Shiro seemed nervous beneath his gaze, the twitch of his hand and wetting of his lips not going unnoticed by Veronica.

"Shirogane?" His eyes widened.

"It's been a while." Shiro said in a small voice.

Lance and Veronica frowned with confusion.

"You two know each other?" Lance puzzled.

"Yes, we do." Adam frowned, keeping his gaze fused with Shiro's, even as he whipped his head around to Lance, "I've had to keep him out of hundreds of crime scenes. Lance, Romelle is frightened enough already. Bringing a _hunter-"_ Adam began furiously.

"Relax, glasses." Veronica rolled her eyes, "He's with us, now. We brought him to help figure out what Lotor is planning."

Adam glanced back towards Shiro uncertainly, the taller man adopting an amiable stance, unencumbered by Adam's sudden hostility.

"Lotor tried to kill Keith." He said quietly, "I want him gone just as much as you do."

"And when he is?" Adam asked impatiently, turning to Lance and Veronica, "Hunters don't change, Lance, especially this one." Adam nodded towards Shiro, who's brow slanted with sorrow, "Maybe he'll be on our side while his family is in danger, but the moment we take Lotor down he'll go right back to trying to kill us."

"Hey, Keith was a hunter too, remember?" Lance scowled, "Shiro is trying, okay? Just give him a chance."

Adam gave Shiro a quick glance from the corner of his eye, exhaling with defeat.

"Fine, he can stay, but he can't go near Romelle." He swung around to Shiro, the sudden action making the hunter jump, "You stay with me. Lance and Veronica can talk to her."

Lance exchanged a deliberating glance with his sister, who shrugged. He sighed.

"Alright, you tell Shiro what you know. We'll deal with Romelle."

Adam's mouth twitched with dissatisfaction as he gave Shiro another look, but nonetheless, he nodded in agreement.

"Come with me." Adam addressed Shiro, leading the man into the kitchen adjacent to them. The sound of the kettle boiling sounded moments later, accompanying Lance and Veronica as they entered the beige colored room to their left, accentuated with brightly colored pillows. Lance reckoned Adam could have had a serious career as a home decorator if he hadn't become a cop.

Romelle was on the couch, staring intently at the TV with a pillow cradled to her chest. The end of her jumper was damp from being anxiously chewed on and her blonde pigtails looked like they hadn't been redone in days. Lance and Veronica exchanged an unsure glance, before slowly approaching the couch.

"Romelle?" Lance said softly. Romelle startled, her gaze flitting to his.

Lance swallowed, taking a seat on the opposite end of the couch, while Veronica claimed the squishy armchair to his right. Romelle glanced between them anxiously, glancing towards the door. Lance could see her plotting her escape route in her mind.

"We're not here to hurt you. We just have a few questions." Veronica leaned forwards, smiling reassuringly at her.

"I already talked to the police." Romelle said sharply, in a thick British accent.

Lance glanced to his sister, who looked just as worried as he did. They expected her to be upset, or even volatile. But the timid girl in front of them was _terrified_ of them.

"We aren't the police. We're vamps, like you." said Lance, "We're trying to catch the man who killed your family."

Romelle stilled, her next sentence leaving her lips as a mere whisper.

"Lotor?"

Veronica's eyes widened and she leaned towards Romelle eagerly, "So you know it was him?"

Romelle glowered down at her lap.

"Of course. Days before he was murdered, my brother told me what was happening at Oriande. I knew it was no coincidence he died right after." She scowled.

"Did your parents know, also?" Veronica pressed.

Romelle's lip quivered and Lance glanced to his sister sharply.

"It's alright." He told Romelle, soothing her, "Take your time."

She swallowed, "My brother told them what was going on, so they went to Oriande to see for themselves. They were going to call Adam, and tell him everything..." She took a shaky inhale, "But they died before they got the chance."

Lance and Veronica blinked towards each other before Lance slowly leaned further in, folding his hands in his lap.

"Romelle." He said seriously, "I know it's difficult to talk about. But if we're going to have any chance at catching Lotor, we need to know what he's doing at Oriande."

Romelle's pupils wavered emotionally as she glanced up at Lance, wrapping her arms tighter around herself as she began to speak.

"Lotor has been recruiting hundreds of vampires over the years, my brother included." She sniffed, "He was nameless, they all were. Lotor told him he would give him a chance to find a mate within his clan. Bandor was so excited..." She smiled sadly.

"Lotor was mating nameless vampires?" Veronica cocked her brow.

"Having companionship... it helped ease their torment, I think." Romelle said solemnly, "We thought Lotor was doing something good. But Bandor found out his true intentions, soon enough. And he paid for it with his life."

Lance felt his pulse stutter, "What is it? What are his plans, Romelle?" He pleaded.

"If this gets out, my brother will be forsaken by the rest of our kind." Her eyes watered, "He didn't know what Lotor was planning. He had _no idea."_

"Romelle, I promise you, your brother's name will not be tarnished. This will stay between us, but if we're going to avenge your family we _have_ to know what Lotor is planning."

Romelle rubbed at her eyes, shuffling forwards to straighten her back, looking Lance squarely in the eye. He could sense her searching for a lie, but soon enough she gave in, clearing her throat.

"Lotor plans to overthrow all other clans residing in the city. He's planning a _revolution_ among our kind, one that will leave hundreds dead and the nameless in power."

"He can't do that!" Veronica exclaimed, "The fallout alone will reveal our kind to the humans here!"

"It's already been set in motion." Romelle said gravely, shaking her head, "With the amount of nameless vampires he's recruited, he could easily overthrow half the clans residing in LA. Once he's in charge of this city, things will only grow from there."

"We have to stop him." Lance shot up.

"Romelle, do you have any idea how our sister might play into all of this?" Veronica asked her desperately.

Romelle's lips thinned out.

"Bandor mentioned Lotor was always talking about someone he planned to make his queen." She said slowly, "It could be her."

Veronica glanced up at Lance fearfully, as Adam appeared at the door with Shiro, holding a tray of mugs. He reeled back in surprise as Lance shot past him towards the door, Ronnie on his heel.

"Thanks for the tea, Adam, but we really have to go." Lance said, grabbing Shiro's arm to drag him towards the door, "Romelle, thank you for the information. You've been a great help." He gazed at her gratefully. She nodded, frowning into her lap.

"Just... make sure you catch him." She said quietly, "My family is gone forever, but you can still save others from the same fate."

"We will." Veronica said sincerely.

"We'll be in touch soon, Adam." Lance told the cop at the threshold of his apartment, shaking his hand firmly, "We're gonna need all the help we can get for this."

He turned towards the door before pausing, glancing over his shoulder.

"You should probably also tell Shiro about that thing on your wrist at some point, too." He added. Adam's hazel eyes widened and his hand shot to his wrist where his sleeve had hitched up, revealing a cursive 'T'.

"How did you-?"

It's kind of obvious." Lance deadpanned, “You keep twitching and the look face when you saw him... how long have you been surviving off incompatible blood?”

”A few years. You get used to it.” Adam shrugged.

”Tell him. Soon. Or the blood will kill you in the end.” Lance advised, “I get the fear. I do. But he’s changing.”

"I'll... think about it." Adam's mouth twitched uncomfortably, "Good luck." He said before the door closed, and Lance, Shiro and Veronica were running back towards his car.

"What happened in there? What did she say?" Shiro panted as they finally reached the vehicle, after several flights of stairs.

"We'll explain everything at home." Lance replied hurriedly.

They leaped into their seats and were back on the highway in a flash. Lance could feel Veronica staring at him as he focused on the road ahead, driving them back to their house. She cleared her throat, glancing out of the window.

"So, what now?" She finally asked.

"We tell the others what's going on." He said firmly.

"And then what?" She cocked her brow.

He turned to her gravely, fixing her with a confident stare.

"We catch that bastard."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Friendship ended with KICK. Now SICK is my best friend.  
> Sorry for making Shiro such a dick till now, guys, it'll be better from now on I promise.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween! All of you stay safe if you’re partying or going trick or treating tonight. To thank you for you continued support, here’s a little halloween treat from me! Enjoy an extended chapter xx 
> 
> CHAPTER WARNINGS: **Explicit Sexual Content**

After Lance and Veronica had arrived home with Shiro on Thursday and told everybody the truth behind Lotor's plans, after a brief period of shock and confusion, they'd spent the rest of the night devising their own ploy. The initial plan Lance and Shiro put forward was met with resistance, and blatant refusal from Mateo.

"No." He'd said bluntly, "There has to be another way."

"This is our only option." Lance had pleaded, "This is the best way to keep everyone safe."

"What you're suggesting could kill our sister." Mateo growled, "I won't allow it."

Rosa winced, placing her hand on her son’s arm.

"I know what they're saying sounds... kind of absurd." She said slowly, "But hear them out."

So Mateo did as he was told, and he listened. They all did, focusing intently on what Shiro and Lance had to say. All night long they tweaked and argued, until finally they conceived something they all believed was foolproof. Even Mateo finally agreed, and they all retreated to bed to get the few hours of sleep they could before Ana's arrival.

Lance and Keith used their last hours of peace to revel in each other's company. The outcome of their new mission could very well be deadly, and knowing that full well they embraced each other tightly on Lance's bed, stroking each other's hair and letting their lips meet time and time again until daylight broke through the curtains, and Rosa came to wake them up.

"Are you nervous?" Keith asked as Lance swung his legs out of bed, shuffling closer and wrapping his arms around his back, pressing a few teasing kisses to his shoulders.

"Course not, I'm only seeing my sister for the first time in two years." Lance swallowed, yanking on his pants.

Keith's mouth twitched humorously, "Terrified, huh?"

Lance grunted, leaning round to kiss Keith deeply. Keith smiled against his lips, enjoying the wet smack as they pulled apart and rested their foreheads together lovingly. 

"I'd be scared too, if I were you." Lance said nonchalantly.

"Oh yeah?" Keith smirked.

"Definitely. Ana is very protective. She's like Shiro but with boobs. Though, Shiro already kind of has boobs- have you _seen_ the size of his pecs?"

Keith rolled his eyes, shoving Lance lightly so he could roll out of bed and retrieve his own dark jeans, airing out his jumper, slightly creased from the two of them being so tightly pressed together.

"If I survived your dad, I think I can survive your sister." He said with an air of confidence.

Lance smirked, "I like it when you get cocky. Makes it funnier when you crash and burn."

Keith scowled, tossing Lance's shirt towards his boyfriend's face, chuckling when instead of falling into his lap it caught in his messy bed head, adorning his face like a shawl. Lance wrapped it around his face, fluttering his eyelids.

"Do I look pretty?" He pouted.

"Gorgeous." Keith said dryly, sitting on the carpet to pull on and tie up his boots. Lance grinned at him coyly, lowering himself to the ground and crawling towards Keith lasciviously. Seeing Lance's predator like stance, Keith slowly started to back away.

"Lance..." He growled, "Don't you dare." 

Lance's grin became wider as he finally backed Keith up against the door. Keith's eyes held warnings of murder as Lance leaned in close, brushing their noses together tauntingly.

"If you even think about doing- LANCE!" Keith yelped when fingers began to brush over his sides, digging into the soft flesh and tickling him so hard it hurt. Keith gasped and convulsed, squealing with involuntary laughter as Lance loomed over him, chuckling as Keith yielded to his mercy.

"L- _Lance!"_ Keith pleaded breathlessly, "S-stop it!"

"What's the magic word?" Lance cooed, bringing his hands to Keith's armpits, making Keith scream as he continued to mercilessly tickle him.

 _"Bastard."_ Keith hissed.

"Now that's not very nice." Lance pouted, finally ceasing his attack. The moment the ministrations of his fingers stopped Keith pounced, shoving Lance back against the carpet, trapping him with his thighs and caging him with his hands either side of his head.

He looked at Lance tediously as a triumphant smile spread across Lance's face, the vampire making no effort whatsoever to free himself from Keith's hold.

"This was your goal all along, wasn't it?" Keith deadpanned.

"Possibly." Lance's lip curled flirtatiously.

"You're a dick."

"Yeah."

They chuckled together, Keith still a little bit winded, making the little sounds adorably breathless. Lance's smile withdrew into something more fond and he reached up, cupping Keith's cheek softly. Keith looked a little alarmed at the sudden gentleness, but leaned into the touch anyway, sighing quietly when Lance started to brush his thumb over his cheekbone.

"Keith..." Lance said solemnly, clearing his throat, "I-"

He was interrupted by the sudden crash of his door swinging open, bouncing off his drawers and causing a few pens and trophies to fall to the ground. Veronica loomed over them, looking far less surprised than the last time she'd found them in such a promiscuous position.

"Uh..." She jabbed her thumb over her shoulder, "Ana's here. You should probably put some clothes on." She suggested before fleeing the room, slamming the door shut behind her, leaving an earthquake-like impact.

Lance sighed, pulling his legs out from under Keith, "Next time, we're going to your place."

"Probably a good idea..." Keith bit his lip coyly, chuckling as Lance pulled on the rest of his clothes begrudgingly. He offered Keith his hand, pulling him off of the floor, keeping hold of his fingers long after he'd stood up.

"Ready?" He asked expectantly.

"Let's go." Keith smiled and they left Lance's room, heading down the hallway to the stairs. Keith could hear all the commotion from downstairs, which did nothing to ease the anxious fluttering of his heart. Lance held his hand with firm sureness as they trudged downstairs, where Rosa was waiting for them.

She smiled at Lance affectionately, kissing his cheek as soon as he was in her reach.

"She's in the kitchen." She told him, skipping the formal good mornings, getting straight to what she knew Lance wanted to know. He grinned at his mother, hugging her tightly.

"Te amo, mamá."

He enthusiastically pulled Keith the rest of the way down the stairs and through the hall, until they were at the threshold of the kitchen. All of Lance's siblings were there, as well as his father, Elena and Sebastian. They were all crowded round two people unfamiliar to Keith, but with the same caramel skin and dark hair as the rest of the family.

Keith could tell which of the two was Ana straight away - mainly because she was the only unknown female in the room, but if that hadn't given it away, her eyes definitely would have. Like Lance and Luis, she'd inherited her father's blue orbs, and she'd also gotten his dark hair, which curled and fell to her shoulders in a business-like fashion, bobbing and swishing airily every time she moved her head.

The moment she caught sight of Lance a high pitched squeal rang through the kitchen and she rushed forwards, bounding into her brother like a five-foot Cuban wrecking ball. Keith voluntarily released Lance's hand so he could hug her back, his hand flying into her hair as she buried her face in his neck. Keith watched the siblings reunite with a warm feeling in his heart, stepping back to watch with Rosa, who was already crying.

"Hola, precioso." Ana whispered, and tears sprung to life in Lance's eyes. Despite his best efforts to suppress them they quickly sprinted down his cheek, leaving behind tracks like rain on a car window as they disappeared into Ana's hair.

"I missed you." He breathed as they rocked together, sniffing wholeheartedly.

"You got tall." Ana stated as she pulled back, looking up the half-meter between her and her brother into Lance's eyes.

"You didn't." Lance grinned. Ana gasped incredulously, slapping Lance's shoulder, mostly because she couldn't properly reach his face. He smiled down at her with abounding fondness.

"You haven't changed at all." The man behind Ana chuckled. He was just under Lance's height, and more stocky, but he was equally as handsome. His features were sharp and his beard was neatly tamed, but his skin showed signs of age. However his eyes were kind, and currently they were fixed on Lance.

"Marco!" Lance grinned, releasing his sister and pulling his brother-in-law towards him instead. Their embrace wasn't as tender, but Keith could still feel the love wafting off each of them.

"You look well." Marco told Lance, eyes fixing knowingly onto Keith from over Lance's shoulder. The human froze, glancing away, only to meet Ana's perceptive gaze a few feet away. Alerted by the sudden silence, Lance broke away from Mateo, also glancing towards Keith.

"So you're the hunter, huh?" She smiled wryly.

"Uh..." Keith glanced to Rosa at his side, who smiled encouragingly. He swallowed, nodding slowly, "Yeah. Retired."

"And what about him?" She pointed behind him. Keith furrowed his brow before remembering Shiro had spent the night on the couch, and was now stationed behind him near the door.

"That's Keith's brother." Lance told her. Ana hummed, folding her arms.

"And you're on our side now?" She cocked one brow.

"I..." Shiro looked taken aback, "I want that bastard off the streets. And Keith trusts all of you, so..." He cleared his throat, "Yes."

Ana and Marco both smiled. Ana stepped forwards, grabbing Keith's hand and shaking it gently.

"Then it's nice to meet you, Keith." She said softly, "Thanks for not letting my brother die."

"N-No problem?" Keith stuttered, because honestly what else was he meant to say? To his relief Ana just threw her head back, laughing loudly.

"God, you _are_ adorable. No wonder Lance likes you." She chuckled, "I'm glad you two were able to work it out. But seriously, if you hurt him like that again I'll-" Keith gulped as her hand tightened.

"Cool it, hermana." Mateo rolled his eyes, "Veronica already gave him the official sibling warning."

Ana's hand loosened immediately and she turned accusingly to her sister, who raised her hands in surrender.

"Hey, you weren't home! Someone had to do it!" She said in defense, "And for the record, he took it like a champ." She said, folding her arms in triumph. Lance grinned at her, giving Keith a proud smile.

"That is a dire misuse of that phrase." Rosa mumbled, under her breath as Ana finally released Keith's hand.

"Well." She mused, "As long as he's been warned. And _you-"_ She pointed suddenly to Shiro, who flinched, "Betray us, and I'll kill you."

"U-Understood." Shiro agreed, mostly out of fear.

"Okay, okay, now everyone has been introduced," Rosa ushered them all to the dinner table, "Let's eat!" She declared, shuffling over to the stove where sausages and eggs sizzled away. Lance pulled Keith down next to him, whispering into his ear.

"Good job." He squeezed his hand.

"You were right. That was _way_ worse than your dad." He mumbled, causing Lance's eyes to light up with amusement. They held their fond exchange for a moment longer before turning their attention to the rest of the table. At the end, a few seats away from them, Ana watched them with a small smile on her lips.

"How's work, sis?" Luis asked across from her as Lorenzo and Rosa passed full plates to everyone at the table, stuffing his mouth full of eggs the moment his dish was in front of him.

"It's okay." Ana smiled wryly, "They took me back in pretty quick. It keeps me busy, I guess."

"Where do you work?" Keith asked.

"She's a journalist." Lorenzo told him, taking a seat opposite the human with his own breakfast with Rosa at his side across from Lance, "She writes for the San Francisco Chronicle."

"That's pretty cool." Keith's eyes widened.

"Like I said, it keeps me busy." She gave him a small smile, "Besides, that's nothing compared to what Marco does. He's a legal hacker." She said, filling her mouth with eggs again.

"I used to hack into government vampire files to tamper with them. I got caught eventually - I added a whole paragraph to one of their documents about how we're weak to the smell of Sharpies. The government is stupid but unfortunately they aren't _that_ stupid.” The whole table chuckled in harmony, “In the end rather than arrest me, they recruited me." Marco grinned.

"The government _knows_ about vampires?" Shiro asked incredulously.

"Only a select few." Marco said, "Mostly they try to keep our existence under wraps as not to cause a worldwide panic. Things have gotten better, though. More hunters are getting arrested, task forces are getting set up in the police, and there are some government organisations dedicated to catching nameless vampires, trying to get them help. Stuff like that."

"And nobody has caught on?"

Marco grinned, "Like I said, not many people know about it. Not even the President."

"Thank god for that." Lorenzo grumbled, the rest of the table humming in agreement.

Shiro just continued to gape in disbelief. Lance and Keith observed him with matching smirks, glancing at each other and pressing their lips tightly together to stop themselves laughing.

"Marco, I think you just blew his mind." Veronica whispered across the table, causing the rest of the family to start laughing with Keith and Lance. Shiro glanced away sheepishly. Through all of the laughter Rosa reached across the table, squeezing her daughter's hand.

"I'm glad you two are okay." She said sincerely. Marco and Ana glanced at each other with matching smiles, as Ana brushed her thumb over her mother's palm.

"Gracias, mami." She said softly, the laughter dying out around them as everyone turned to observe the tender moment. Lorenzo placed his fork down, folding his hands in front of him. Ronnie, Lance and Keith all inhaled sharply, readying themselves for all the air in the room to be gone the moment Lorenzo opened his mouth.

"Has Lotor tried contacting you?" He asked gravely, taking Ana and Marco by surprise. Everyone around the table remained in awkward silence as Lorenzo gazed intensely at his daughter.

"If he had we would have told you, papi." Ana said sincerely, "What about you guys? I heard what happened." She turned to Lance and Keith, eyes soft as they locked with Keith's.

"He's been quiet since last week, but he'll be back, soon enough." Lance said gravely, "Also... we talked to the girl whose family was killed."

Ana leaned forwards, "And?"

"Lotor wants to take control of the entire city. He's got hundreds of nameless vampires on his side, if we don't take them down, he'll overthrow the rest of the clans in LA."

Ana's hand brushed over her mouth as her eyes widened in shock, and Marco cursed under his breath.

"He's willing to go that far..." Marco grumbled.

"He's insane. None of us could have seen it coming." Lance said, "But we have a plan. We can stop him."

"We're in." Ana said immediately, "Whatever it takes to bring him down, we'll do it." She gripped Marco's hand across the table, her husband nodding in agreement.

Veronica winced, "You should probably _hear_ the plan before you agree..." She said slowly. Marco and Ana looked at her in confusion, turning back to Lance with furrowed brows.

"Why?" Ana asked.

"Cause Marco is going to hate it." She said plainly. Lance turned to her with a glare, folding his hands in front of him seriously as Ana and Marco gazed at him expectantly.

"We know that Lotor is going to come after you, now you're here. I know it isn't ideal, but having him meet with you is the only way we'll be able to isolate him."

"No way." Marco snapped fiercely, "You can't use Ana as bait."

”Told you.” Veronica quipped under her breath, earning another glare from Lance.

Ana place her hand on Marco’s arm calmly.

"Hear him out." She said softly, her husband's gaze flinging to hers incredulously.

"You're seriously _thinking_ about this?" Marco spluttered.

"She'd be fully armed." Keith said, "Me and Shiro know how to lace the weapons to make them undetectable to vampires. So if he tries anything, she can take him down easily."

"All of us will be there, hiding and waiting for her signal. Keith and Shiro will take out any of his underlings that might have gathered in the area so he won't have any backup when we go for him." Lance finished.

"He'll be expecting an ambush." Marco growled, "It'll never work."

Keith was surprised by the ferocity lying beneath Marco's skin, despite his quiet demeanor.

"This is our one chance to take him down. He'll take his guard down around Ana- it's the perfect time to strike." Lance said pleadingly.

"I'll do it."

Both Marco and Lance turned to Ana in surprise as she stood nonchalantly from the table.

"Are you _kidding-?"_

"Lance is right. I'm the only one who can get Lotor alone. I need to do this, or he'll be terrorizing our family, and the rest of the city forever." She told Marco, grabbing his hand desperately, "I'll be okay. But you have to let me do this."

Marco clenched his jaw shut, staring intensely at his soulmate. It was as if a whole other conversation was happening between them in complete silence as they gazed towards each other, Ana's hand tightening further around his arm with every passing second.

"Fine." Marco finally growled through gritted teeth, "But the moment I feel something is up, I'm grabbing you and we're going back home."

"Deal." Ana smiled triumphantly, turning to Lance, "We're in."

Lance and Keith looked at each other in relief.

"Now all we have to do is wait for Lotor to contact Ana." Shiro said rubbing his mouth, "I know it isn't ideal, but it's his move, now." He said, casting the table into silence.

"Then let's make the most of Ana and Marco being here." Rosa smiled, clapping her hands together, "Everybody pack your things - we're going to the beach. The ice cream shop should be open by now."

"It's like, five degrees outside." Veronica cocked her brow.

"So?" Luis asked, "If we're already cold, the ice cream won't make a difference." He reasoned.

Marco frowned, "I don't think that's how it works-"

"Oh hush, we're going to the beach and that's final!" Ana halted him.

Most of the McClains whooped in glee. Lance, however, cast his gaze over to Keith. He was rubbing his arm anxiously, and glaring down at his legs, which were still weak from last week’s endeavor. He could walk alright, but not for long.

"I think it'd be best if I stayed here with Keith." He announced, seeing his mother's head cock sympathetically, "He's still not completely healed. It'd be best not to push him too hard."

"O-Oh, no, I'm alright." Keith insisted, "I don't want you to miss out on spending time with your sister."

"We have a whole week to catch up," Ana scoffed, "Have some time alone. We'll only be a few hours." She ordered them. Lance gave Keith a reassuring kiss on the head, before rising to help Mateo pack Sebastian and Elena's things.

As the rest of the famiy split off around the house, Shiro ambled over to Keith, placing his hand on his shoulder, a firm, familiar weight.

"I should get back to Allura's." He told Keith.

Keith cocked his brow, "You're leaving me alone? With Lance? Unsupervised?"

"I'm your brother, not your dad. And Lance seems... alright. Y'know, for a bloodsucker." Shiro said nonchalantly, causing Keith to break out into a grin. He grabbed onto Shiro's shoulder, staring him in the eye.

"I'm sorry, did you just give us your _blessing?"_ He teased, "Lance will be honored."

Shiro glowered at him as he lifted his bag from the hook next to the door, turning to Keith seriously.

"You'll be okay, right? You'll call me if anything happens?" He asked hesitantly. Keith smiled softly, hugging his brother tightly.

"Of course - and thank you. For being so cool about all this." He said sincerely, wincing when Shiro ruffled his hair, mussing it slightly so it became light and fluffy.

"Well, you were right. They're good people." Shiro said, "I'm sorry for-"

"You've already apologized. It's over, Shiro. I'm just glad we're speaking again." Keith smiled.

"Me too. Most of the time." Shiro's lips curled flippantly, arm throbbing as Keith landed a perfectly aimed punch on his bicep. They hugged a final time before Shiro disappeared down the street on his motorcycle.

Lance planted his hand on Keith's shoulder, startling him a little as the other McClains began filtering through the door, wrapped in jumpers and coats. Considering the biting weather, Keith was slightly glad Lance had suggested they stayed in the house, rather than face the cold winds coming from the tide.

"We'll be back soon, mijo." Rosa kissed Lance's cheek, also pulling Keith in for a hug. Keith had quickly become used to how gregarious and cuddly Lance's family was. He no longer shied away from every pat or hug they offered, instead welcoming the embraces and tender kisses to his forehead, finding they warmed his soul each and every time.

"Bye, mamá." Lance waved as Rosa left, hand in hand with Lorenzo. Keith saw the fond look on his face as he watched his parents slide into their car. Keith knew it's what he'd always imagined he and his mate would be someday. And now, it didn't seem like such a crazy idea, spending his life with Lance. The connection was just that strong.

"Wanna head upstairs?" Lance asked, tucking his hands into his pockets and avoiding Keith's curious gaze.

"Sure." Keith shrugged, nonchalantly slipping his hand into Lance's and guiding him towards the stairs, mostly for his own support as he pulled himself up one step at a time. Lance held his waist protectively, reading to catch him if anything went awry.

Soon enough they were sat together on Lance's bed, pillows surrounding them to create a makeshift nest as Lance switched on the TV, bringing up Netflix and turning on the last episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine they'd watched, as was the ritual. He settled comfortably into Keith's side, resting his head on Keith's shoulder to put his hair in reach. He adored the way Keith twined and combed his fingers through the soft strands, letting them slip through his grasp again and again.

The moment Keith's hand settled in his hair Lance sighed, vision of the TV blurring as his eyes fluttered shut for a second. Keith glanced down at him, an enamored expression on his face. 

"I like your sister." He said offhandedly, causing Lance to smile.

"She's pretty great." He nuzzled further into Keith's neck, "She's kind of like my guardian, y'know? I feel safe when she's around."

"I get it. I feel like that about you, sometimes." Keith murmured, meeting Lance's eyes as the vampire turned to him with a pleased expression, an untelling smile on his lips, "What?"

"I just... really like you." Lance grinned, making Keith blush, "You're cute, Keith."

"Fuck off." Keith glared, "Whenever you call me cute that means you're going to tickle me or kiss me." He scowled as Lance edged closer, chin rested coyly on his palm.

"C'mon, you like my kisses." Lance pouted.

"Yeah, except usually your family end up walking in and catch us." Keith rolled his eyes, allowing Lance to take hold of his hands and kiss them tenderly despite his sarcastic attitude.

"Ah, but they aren't here right now..." Lance's lip curled into a smirk as he crouched over Keith, his boyfriend's brows knitting together as Lance casually pressed against him.

"You..." Keith trailed off when Lance's hands planted themselves on his body, kneading into his hips and thighs. He swallowed, resisting the urge to throw his head back and sink into the feeling.

"I...?" Lance inquired, just as he slipped one of his hands under Keith's shirt, lightly grazing his abdomen with his fingers. The more Keith relaxed, the more his eyes drooped and the more susceptible he became to Lance's whims.

"Are you hungry?" Keith asked suddenly, pulling back to stare Lance straight in the eye. The vampire rolled his eyes, nosing at Keith's neck with adoration.

"Y'know, just cause I wanna make out with you doesn't mean I need to drink." He murmured, kissing the faded bite Lotor had left behind, "You're worth more than that to me. Besides, I don't need it that often."

"I _know_ that." Keith insisted, "But it feels nice when you do it. It's like... all the pain disappears." He mumbled, cupping Lance's cheek. Lance leaned into the touch, sighing through his nose. He pulled Keith's palm away from his face, kissing the tops of his fingers, one by one. Each press of lips took another one of Keith's limited number of breaths away.

Keith steadily raised his wrist, pressing it insistently against Lance's mouth as he had a million times before. And like always, Lance softly kissed it. But rather than sinking his teeth into it, he pushed Keith's wrist away and instead pressed his lips against Keith's. Keith stiffened in surprise, gasping into Lance's mouth as his tongue licked into his mouth, meeting Keith's own to lave tenderly against it. He kissed him long and deep, tightening his grip on Keith's hips.

Keith's fingers danced from Lance's cheeks up into his hair, tangling themselves in the strands. Their lips slid together lithely, every crevice and mottled teeth mark memorized by each of them. Lance knew exactly when to lick, when to suck and when to withdraw his tongue, swapping impassioned kissing for quick, tender brushes of lips in an infuriating back and forth. Keith let him lead, breathing shallowly as his heart pounded faster and faster against his ribs.

"Fuck, _Keith."_ Lance breathed against his mouth, hastily kissing across Keith's jaw and down towards his neck. Already arousal was amassing in his gut, his legs twitching with the urge to bring him as far away from the situation as he could. Because anything with Lance was too much. Kissing Lance, touching Lance; it send his consciousness into a frenzy. He was already at the precipice of exploding, and Lance had barely even begun, he could tell.

Keith released a breathless sigh as Lance nuzzled his nose into the hair behind his ear. Subconsciously Keith cocked his head, exposing the slim, pale length of his neck. Lance inhaled deeply, the fingers placed on Keith's hips digging in deeper. Keith smelt as intoxicating as ever, the smell of arousal settling in as Lance kissed further down the expanse of neck presented to him.

"You have no idea how good you smell." Lance groaned softly, mouthing over where Keith's pulse could be felt against his lips. Keith shuddered when Lance's teeth scraped very lightly over his neck, his hands tearing at Lance's hair desperately. Lance froze, steadily bringing his lips away from Keith's neck, causing the human to whine his objection.

 _"Lance."_ He panted, "B-Bite."

"I can't." Lance said lowly, "It's not like biting your wrist, Keith. It'll hurt."

"I don't care." Keith growled, pushing himself up by his elbows, "As long as it's you, I _don't care."_

Lance sighed, his head falling limply against Keith's shoulder, relinquishing his strength. Keith's fingers dragged temptingly up and down his back, his heart beating as loud as a drum in Lance's ears, like the climax of an action movie soundtrack. Keith moved his hand to the back of Lance's head, guiding his lips back towards his neck.

"It's okay." He whispered, "I want you to." 

To prove himself he pushed the neck of his sweater over his shoulder, pushing Lance back to once again slide into his lap. The vampire could feel Keith's desperation, in both his actions and the hardening cock pressing against his own. Keith pulled him towards him insistently, closing his eyes in anticipation.

"Y-You'll stop me? If I go too far?" Lance asked, his breath tumbling over Keith's shoulder.

"I'll kick your ass out bed if you go too far." Keith growled before his gaze softened, "But you won't. Because you're you."

Keith could tell the moment Lance finally gave in, the vampire's hands tightening around his waist to pull Keith flush against him. Keith pressed his lips together to halt his triumphant moan, allowing himself to let go of Lance's hair, trusting his boyfriend wouldn't pull away. Instead his arms settled around Lance's neck, holding on tight for when his body would inevitably give out. Lance kissed Keith's neck a final time, before gently scraping his incisors over his pulse.

At the first press of teeth, Keith would admit his heart skipped a fearful beat. He remembered the pain of when Lotor had bitten into his neck, the overwhelming feeling of being sucked dry prominent in his mind as Lance tenderly laved his tongue and teeth over his chosen spot near Keith's throat. However, as if he could hear exactly what Keith was thinking, Lance opted to pull him closer, nuzzling against his bare skin and squeezing his waist encouragingly. It slowed Keith's heart, just a little, and put his mind at ease for when Lance finally sunk his fangs through the skin and muscle guarding Keith's bloodstream.

A shudder ran through Keith as he felt a sharp sting, the pain throbbing through his neck and shoulder. As Lance had promised, it hurt like a _bitch,_ but after a few beats he felt it fade, giving way for the tingle he usually felt in his wrist. Except this time it was far more intense, like swarms of bees were buzzing away beneath his skin. He clung to Lance's neck, gasping as a sudden flush came over him, turning his face a light pink and causing pleasure to start building a fortress in his stomach.

Lance moaned softly against him, leading to the peculiar feeling of reverberation up Keith's throat. The hand on Keith's hip moved to the small of his back, slipping up under his sweater and running up over his spine. Lance's hand was cool, sending shocks throughout Keith's back as it came into contact with his burning skin and the nerves prickling beneath it. He could feel himself beginning to get lightheaded, warmth spreading through him; but he didn't push Lance away. Instead, he closed his eyes, allowing the pleasure to seep further into his body.

It traveled from his head to his stomach, gradually making its way to between his thighs, and when he rocked his hips it caused a simultaneous groan from them both, the slight friction setting his skin alight. He wasn't ignorant, he knew this warmth was intended to help vampires capture prey, but at the same time, he didn't feel manipulated or like he was being hunted.

All he felt was bliss.

He ran his hand down Lance's chest, finding the hem of his shirt. He wriggled his hand under it, stroking his fingers along Lance's abdomen. The skin twitched in response to his light touch and Lance pulled off Keith's neck, panting harshly. There was blood smudged around his mouth but Keith simply wiped it away with his thumb, continuing to trail sparks over Lance's chest beneath his shirt.

"Keith." Lance said in a warning tone, "You shouldn't."

"Why? Nobody's home, remember...?" He murmured, surging forwards to capture Lance's lips with his own once more. His teeth scraped over his bottom lip. There was a faint coppery taste lingering, but Keith easily ignored it, pressing his tongue forwards and nudging Lance's mouth open further. He rocked his hips forward again, sliding the hand on Lance's abdomen down to the front of his pants. The moment he felt Keith's fingers over his cock, Lance pulled away, pushing them a fair distance apart.

"This is the bite talking, not you." Lance said pleadingly, "Just give it a minute, you'll snap out of it." He said, voice coming out in wisps of air due to his breathlessness.

Keith rolled his eyes, "Lance, I've wanted this for a _while._ You didn't suck on my neck and magically make me want to have sex with you." He mumbled, crawling closer to Lance on the bed, "And I can tell you want it too."

Both of them glanced down at Lance's crotch, Keith's brow cocking pointedly as Lance blushed.

"Just let me take care of you..." Keith whispered, cupping Lance's cheek before bringing their lips together once again, finding no resistance this time. There was a wet, throbbing feeling on his neck from where Lance bit him, but he couldn't care less in that instant. He pushed Lance back against the headboard, trapping him with his thighs as he climbed back into his lap, nudging their pelvises together.

"F-Fuck, Keith." Lance moaned, head thumping against the wall behind him as his hands settled just above Keith's ass. Keith continued to grind them together, resting his forehead against Lance's to stare directly into those pleasure-filled eyes. After a few seconds Lance tipped his own hips up, holding Keith's back firmly as they started to rock against each other. The ministrations felt incredible, causing Keith to finally blush as he rode Lance's hips, cock sweltering in his boxers.

Lance laved his tongue over the blood still welling on Keith's neck, kissing around the bite tenderly.

"Have I ever told you how good you taste?" He wondered as Keith moaned incessantly into his ear, grasping onto the ends of Lance's hair. Any control he'd had was gone, repossessed by the beast beneath him. He found himself curling his fingers into Lance's shirt, his own loose jumper still slipping off his shoulders.

"D-Don't think so." He finally replied, even though Lance had, many a time. He just couldn’t help the thrill Lance’s praise gave him, he longed to hear it again and again. He breathed heavily into the tresses of Lance's hair, clinging on for dear life as Lance’s cock throbbed against his own.

Lance hummed, hands sliding down over Keith's ass to press him more firmly against his groin, "Well, you're better than anything else I've ever tasted." He ran his tongue over Keith's neck once more at a languid pace. Keith inhaled sharply, cock twitching in his pants. Using his hold on Lance's hair he pulled his head back, kissing him hungrily. Lance returned it without hesitation, tongue delving into Keith's mouth as he clutched firmly at his ass.

"G-Gonna-" Keith stuttered, precome seeping through his boxers as he buried his face into Lance's neck. The vampire continued to grind Keith down onto his lap, Keith's hips moving in sinuous movements.

"Me too." Lance breathed, "Together." He ordered.

Keith was whimpering, now. His entire body felt like it was on fire, pleasure tingling through every limb, every vein and every nerve inside his body. His head fell back and he released a sharp cry, his orgasm hitting him with full force. He felt his boxers fill with stickiness at the same time Lance growled deeply into his ear, thrusting up against Keith one final time before following suit. He continued to rub against Keith, keeping up the pace until Keith was twitching and oversensitive and biting his lip hard to stifle a sob.

"Ah, hah, _L-Lance."_ He whined, feeling the vampire shiver against him with aftershocks. For a moment they sat there, gasping for breath as Lance tenderly rubbed his hand up and down his back. His skin was a little sweaty and there was blood running down his neck and over Lance's chin, but he didn't want to move. Instead, he pulled Lance tightly against him.

"Thanks." He breathed, feeling Lance tremor with a chuckle. Without the adrenaline of the pleasure, Keith soon found himself faltering, swaying slightly on Lance's lap.

"Woah, there." Lance tutted, lowering Keith onto his back, "Stay there, I'll change you."

Keith blushed profusely as Lance dug out two fresh pairs of boxers, tugging Keith's jeans and soiled underwear down and off of his legs. He swiftly dressed Keith in a new pair, maintaining composure despite how charming Keith looked with his cheeks all red and his legs pressed shyly together. Keith averted his eyes when Lance changed his own boxers, using his tired arms to pull Lance's soft duvet over his bare legs.

"Wait there." Lance leaned down to softly kiss the top of Keith's head, scooting downstairs to grab a bandage, taking extras to replenish the supply in his bedside table. Keith's eyes were barely open when he entered, blurring Lance into a bronze blob.

"I'll text mom to get some more of that balm - we're all out, thanks to you." He joked as he taped a few layers of bandage down over the wound on Keith's neck.

For the remaining few hours alone, Lance lay watching TV with Keith cradled against his chest, snoozing softly. He'd fade in and out of sleep as his strength slowly returned to him, managing to give Lance a kiss or gently stroke through his hair before falling asleep again. Even the racket his family made when they re-entered the house wasn't enough to wake him.

Lance managed to get him to eat a sandwich at lunch. Veronica brought them both plates stacked with a picnic's worth of food, thankfully opting to remain silent, even after spotting the bandage on Keith's neck. Eventually the day slipped into night and evening came, the last sediments of sunlight through Lance's curtains rousing Keith.

"Hungry." The human mumbled into Lance's neck, making the vampire laugh.

"Dinner's already over, but I can see if I can get you some leftovers?"

Keith nodded his approval, releasing Lance from his grip so he could slip out into the hallway. He could hear his siblings in their rooms, the sound of Ronnie's guitar and Luis' video game reaching his sensitive ears from the doorways lining the hall. Mateo and Camila had returned home and Marco was an early sleeper due to his work schedule. There was the distinct theme of match game coming from the living room, meaning that his parents were occupying the TV. So the source of the rumbling coffee machine could be only one person.

Ana blinked up at him as he entered the room, smiling brightly.

"Heya, hermana, is there any food left?" Lance asked, following his sister to the fridge. She passed him a plate of cold chicken, resting against the oven with her mug in hand as Lance went over to heat it up in the microwave.

"You and Keith have come a long way since we last talked, sí?" Ana asked, taking a sip of her scalding coffee. Lance often told her she abused her heat resistance.

"Yeah." He smiled softly, "He's great, Ana."

"I can tell you care very much about him." She said in her thick accent, "And from what I've seen - and heard - he cares about you too." She grinned, Lance's eyes thinning into suspicious slits.

"You've been talking to Veronica, huh?" He guessed.

"She says you two are _very_ close." Ana said simply, gulping down another mouthful of coffee. Lance rolled his eyes as the microwave beeped, and he retrieved the chicken from its steamy confines.

"I'm happy for you, hermanito. I've missed you." Ana said sincerely, padding over to Lance's side, passing him a white tub from the cupboard Lance recognized as Keith's bite cream. He took it gratefully, kissing his sister's cheek.

"I've missed you too." He whispered, "I'm glad you're home."

They said their goodbyes before Ana padded into the living room with her coffee, while Lance returned upstairs to his sleeping soulmate. He placed the plate of chicken on the side before slowly sitting next to Keith on the bed.

Ever so carefully he peeled away Keith's bandage, dipping his finger into the cool balm in his hand before carefully rubbing it against the red-looking bite. He swallowed guiltily, Keith's eyes flitting open at the same time.

"Hi." He murmured as Lance continued to soothe his bite, caressing Keith's cheek with his free hand.

"Ana gave you chicken." Lance nodded to the plate, helping Keith into sitting position so he could balance the food on his lap. Once he'd taped the bandage back down Lance took a seat opposite his boyfriend, placing his hand on his thigh.

"Do you feel okay?" He asked softly.

"I'm fine, just tired." Keith smiled wearily, "I'll be alright in the morning. I actually feel a whole lot better, now."

"That's good." Lance sighed in relief, "I was worried I'd hurt you." He admitted. Keith sighed, taking hold of Lance's chin, forcing their eyes to meet as he gave him a serious look.

"You could never hurt me, Lance. I mean it. The only thing you could ever possibly do to hurt me is leave." He said solemnly.

"I'm not going anywhere." Lance vowed, touching his forehead to Keith's, who smiled softly.

"Then stop worrying." Keith said softly, thumbing at Lance's cheek. They exchanged a gentle touch of lips, until the sound of feet thundering down the hall forced them to break apart.

Ana and Veronica came storming in through the door, wide-eyed, a phone clutched in Ana's hand.

"Hate to break this up - again - but we have a situation." Veronica panted as Lance and Keith slowly raised to their feet. Ana took a deep breath before turning the phone to face them, the screen displaying a single text.

"It's Lotor." She breathed, "He's made his move."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who aren't translating the Spanish parts (which I get, it's annoying having to go back and forth) Ana called Lance precious/beautiful. It's a nickname my older cousin uses for me and I just think it's so sweet.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: **Violence** and **Character Injury**

Lotor instructed Ana to meet him at a park a few miles from the McClain's house at midnight. The message he sent was short - but his request and intentions were clear. Marco had almost crushed the phone in his hand when he'd read it.

"So. What's our strategy?" Ana asked once everyone had gathered in the kitchen, fully dressed and wide awake. Keith and Lance were situated by the door, hand in hand as Keith quivered anxiously next to his boyfriend.

"You'll go in fully armed, as we planned. Lotor picked the park because it's isolated, but it's surrounded by trees. We can hide in them until Keith and Shiro have taken out any underlings he has accompanying him." Mateo glanced towards the brothers, who nodded firmly in agreement.

"Ana, all you have to do is get Lotor to relax around you. Make it so he doesn't suspect an attack." Lance instructed his sister, "Adam and the rest of the force will be standing by once we've taken him down. Everybody is armed with a tranquilizer strong enough to knock him out for a few hours, until we can get him into a cell strong enough to hold him."

"And if Lotor loses it? He could expose all of us to the police." Veronica said pointedly.

"Like I said, the tranquilizer will knock him out for a few hours. By the time he's in holding, the rest of the force would have left and the government team will be there to take him away to a max-security prison only for vampires." Lance told her, clarity settling over her expression.

"What if something goes wrong?" Keith asked in a small voice, all eyes turning to him as he rubbed his arm timidly, "What's our priority?"

Lance looked at him firmly, "Our priority is to get everyone out of there alive. The moment someone smells trouble, we ditch the mission. Comprender?" He glanced around, every head in the room bobbing in agreement.

"Alright then. It's an hour till midnight- Ana will arrive on her own. Keith, Shiro and I will drive together, with Marco, Mateo, dad and Ronnie in the other car. Camila and mom will stay to take care of Luis, Seb and Elena. If Lotor sends anyone to the house, they’ll be able to protect them." Lance instructed. Mateo turned to his wife mournfully, pulling her into a loving embrace.

"Everything will be okay." Lance assured them as the lovers pulled apart, maintaining their hold on each other's waists, "It's all of us against him. We can do this."

They all nodded confidently, before Lance split from the rest of the group, disappearing in the hallway. As the rest of the family began to say their goodbyes to Rosa and Camila, Keith silently slipped through the open door to join his boyfriend.

Lance's brow was so wrinkled his eyebrows were almost touching, his hands clasped together in a deducting position in front of his mouth as he paced back and forth. He blinked up at the soft sound of footsteps, taking a moment to drag his eyes up and down Keith's body before continuing his abuse of the floorboards.

Keith rolled his eyes, grabbing onto Lance's hands the next time he swung around to face him and pulling them away from his face.

"Stop worrying." He ordered, holding onto Lance's wrist tightly, "You've planned this meticulously, and if anything _does_ go wrong, you'll have me to back you up. So _please,"_ He pressed their foreheads together, "Relax."

Lance sighed, pulling his hands from Keith's grip to delicately place them on his cheeks. Keith eased into the touch, puckering his lips as he softly slid them against Lance's. Every movement each of them made radiated affection and love. The boys spent several minutes holding each other in the hall, until the rest of the group finally appeared before them.

"Ready?" Shiro asked Keith, who continued to stare up at Lance. Keith nodded firmly, squeezing his boyfriend's hands.

"Let's go." He said, turning to Rosa, who was hovering near the kitchen door. She wrapped one arm around Keith and one around Lance, holding them tightly against her chest. Lance whispered his goodbyes, while Keith stayed quiet, breathing in her motherly scent like a good luck charm.

"I love you boys." She stretched her lips into a smile hybrid of sadness and pride, making Keith's heart swell as he pulled her in one last time, burying his face in her hair.

"We love you too, mami." Lance placed his hand on her shoulder, before softly tugging Keith towards the front door. Shiro was already waiting in the back seat of Blue, knee jogging anxiously as he gazed out of the window at the stationary scenery.

Camila and Rosa watched nervously from the front step as everyone piled into the two cars parked outside, Elena and Sebastian peeking through their legs while Rosa hugged Luis tightly into her side. Ana and Marco stood in a silent hug at the end of the drive for a few moments, the family watching with bated breath as they finally broke apart and kissed, before Ana hopped into her own car, Marco separating from her to join Lorenzo and the others.

"This must be killing him..." Lance mused as he gazed at Marco's stoic expression. Ana disappeared down the road, and after waiting a few minutes, Lorenzo and Lance followed suit. He blew his mother a kiss before backing off the drive, following the bright headlights of his father's car towards the park Lotor had chosen to meet at.

They reached Ana and Marco's old neighborhood, Lance peeking out to gaze at the familiar rows of houses as they flashed past. Ana and Marco's old one lay stoic at the end of the street, but Lance forced himself to avert his eyes before he could get a good look. It held too many bad memories, and none of the cars even slowed to take a peek as they zoomed onward.

"Doing okay?" Keith asked, sliding his hand over Lance's as it landed on the gear stick. Lance nodded stoically, rubbing his thumb over the back of Keith's hand. He was conscious of Shiro's presence in the backseat, so keep his ministrations small.

"I'm fine. It just feels surreal, that he'll really be gone." His mouth twitched, "I have a bad feeling."

"Me too..." Keith said quietly, "But I also have faith that everything will work out."

Lance smiled at him fondly, prompting Keith to lean over and gently kiss his cheek. Shiro glanced between them silently, leaning forwards so he was between them. To their surprise he placed a hand on each of their shoulders, applying a reassuring pressure.

"Everything will be fine." He said firmly, "I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I can see how much you and your family care about each other, and Keith. That is a force more powerful than anything, in my experience."

Keith smiled softly at his brother, squeezing Shiro's hand appreciatively. Lance remained quiet, but his gaze softened, locked onto the road ahead of him.

"Thank you, Shiro." He said sincerely.

"This wouldn't be possible without you." Shiro retorted, "You've planned this perfectly, Lance. Have some confidence in yourself."

Keith glanced silently between his brother and boyfriend as they gazed at each other in understanding, feeling something warm seeping into his chest. He'd never imagined that they'd ever be there, with Shiro and Lance forming a silent treaty between them. 

The park wasn't far from there, a hulking mass of trees they could see from a good distance away. Keith squeezed Lance's hand as they parked a couple hundred yards from the entrance, gathering with the others outside the cars, leaving them far enough none of Lotor's minions would be able to spot them from the trees.

"Keith, Shiro. You ready?" Mateo asked as the brothers slid their black gloves and jackets on, nodding firmly, "We'll split up here. You two let us know when the rogues have been taken out, and we'll move in."

"Understood." Keith nodded firmly as Lance approached him from behind, placing a firm grip on his hips. The rest of the family broke away, including Shiro, leaving the boys alone on the grass.

Keith turned in Lance's hold, staggering back a little as his boyfriend's lips came crashing down on his, grabbing onto Lance's biceps for support. He breathed softly into his boyfriend's mouth, spine arching as Lance placed his hand on the small of his back, pressing him into his chest. Despite the passionate fury of the kiss, Lance held Keith's cheeks and licked into his mouth with the same gentleness he usually did.

"Lance." Keith panted between kisses, "I have to go." He insisted, his hands rebelling against him and gripping onto Lance even tighter, twining in his soft hair.

"Just a little longer." Lance whispered, kissing softly at Keith's jaw, sweeping him into an embrace. Keith clung tightly to the vampire, fingers pulling at the fabric of his shirt as they inhaled the fresh smell of forest, mixed with each other's distinct smell. Pine trees and Lance's shampoo infused his nostrils, easing his rapidly beating heart with every breath.

"I'll see you soon." He promised, pulling back to gently brush their noses together. Lance pressed his lips to his forehead, holding his face steady using the grip he had on Keith’s cheeks. Keith smiled softly as their lips met for one last kiss.

"I love you."

Keith blinked in surprise as Lance whispered the words down to him, finally releasing Keith from his hold and stepping back, wearing a hesitant expression. Keith's mouth parted and a small noise left him, akin to a squeak.

"I..." He scrabbled.

"You don't have to say it back." Lance said softly, "Don't freak out. I just wanted to say it, before we do this."

Keith gazed up at him in shock, pressing his lips thinly together guiltily. He ached to say it. The words were poised and ready to fire on the tip of his tongue. But all of a sudden it was like his mouth had been glued shut. Was Lance only telling him because he thought there was a chance one of them could get hurt? Keith had yet to label exactly what the mess of feelings was in his heart yet, but he knew he was teetering, ready and willing to fall for Lance. But at that moment, it didn't feel right to say it.

So he didn't.

He let Lance leave his side, standing alone in the grass for several beats before darting forwards, grabbing his boyfriend's hand.

Lance blinked in surprise as Keith spun him around, wrapping his arms around him and burying his face in his neck. He said nothing, just held Lance tightly to him until the other boy's hands twined around his back, squeezing firmly.

It wasn’t an I love you, but it was close.

"Be careful." He whispered into the junction of Lance's neck and shoulder, jogged slightly by the ministrations of Lance's nodding. He kissed Keith's head a final time before reluctantly pushing his boyfriend away, retreating to the family waiting patiently a couple feet behind him.

"You too." Were his parting words before he and the others darted into the trees, the vampire sparing only one final look over his shoulder before disappearing into the dark shrouding the forest. Keith's eyes lingered on the spot he last saw Lance for a few moments before he startled, a hand coming down on his shoulder.

He blinked up, meeting Shiro's soft gaze.

"Let's go." Shiro nodded towards the opening of trees adjacent to the one Lance and the others had gone down. Keith swallowed, flipping his hood over his head, obscuring most of his face, before he and Shiro sprinted soundlessly down the dirt path, dimly illuminated by the occasional lamppost, hanging over benches and picnic tables.

Lance watched him go from his perch in a tree in the distance, turning haggardly towards the large open field ahead of him. He could see Ana's car parked on one end, spotting his sister sat inside, waiting patiently for Lotor to arrive. Mateo was several trees away to his left, while Veronica was to his right. They were dotted around the circumference of the field, so they had a broad range of view points. From his branch, Lance could just make out the spot where Lotor would be appearing any moment.

He drummed his fingers against the bark, hearing nothing but silence. Keith and Shiro's footsteps had long faded from his ears, and other than Veronica's occasional shuffle and the breeze through the leaves, it was eerily quiet. He wavered ever so slightly as a sudden gust of wind came his way, along with the sound of screeching tires, creating black calligraphy over the pavement as they squealed to a stop.

Her car door slammed shut as Ana hopped out of her vehicle, steadily making her way across the field. Across the way Lance saw Marco lean forwards in his tree, balancing as well as a monkey to watch carefully over his wife.

She came to a stop in the center of the grass, moments later a flash of silver catching Lance's eye. Lotor approached Ana with a suave expression, hair twinkling as bright as the stars hanging above them. Lance kept his gaze firmly glued on the vampire as he approached Ana, who was rooted to the ground more deeply than any of the shrubs at her feet.

The surrounding vampires held their breath as finally he came to a stop, a few feet away from where Ana was standing. His hands were casually tucked in his pockets and his gait was slouched back, the vampire looking undeterred by the fiery hatred Ana's eyes radiated towards him. Lance stayed as still as he could, knowing that even a single flinch could give them away. Even the trees seemed to have frozen for the occasion, the leaves stationary despite the wind Lance could feel on his cheek.

"Ana." Lotor was the first to speak, a fond smile playing on his lips as he softly spoke her name, "It's been a while."

Lance's eyes locked on to the slight quiver in Ana's hand. She wanted to punch him, he could tell. But Shiro and Keith were yet to give their signal, so as planned she waited, keeping her body still and her arms tightly pressed into her sides.

"Two years." She acknowledged coolly, "How have you been, Lotor?"

"Not too good, if I'm honest." He cocked his head, kicking at the grass, "Your family keep trying to kill me. It's rather irritating. I was hoping we could figure something out, just you and me. You always were the rational one."

Ana didn't reply, maintaining her composure like she'd been told to. Lance gaze flicked around as Lotor took a step towards his sister, now a few feet closer than before, _‘Come on, Keith. Where are you?’_

"You know why I asked you to meet me here?" Lotor continued after a few seconds of Ana not replying.

"The ambiance?" She asked with a steely gaze.

"How I've missed your wit." Lotor chuckled, "No, I used to watch you here with Lucile. She played here every weekend, don't you remember?"

As their daughter's name slipped past Lotor's lips, Lance didn't miss the shake of Marco's tree or the honed fury in Ana's narrowed eyes, as the woman finally moved, taking a step towards her old friend. Lance readied himself for the sound of a slap, to see Lotor's body go flying across the field. But instead Ana gazed up at the vampire with a pitiful tilt to her brow.

"What happened to you, Lotor?" She whispered, so breathy Lance almost missed it, "Why would you kill her? She was innocent in all this." She accused fiercely.

"Please." Lotor scoffed, "Nobody is _innocent._ After years I came home to see you, only to find you'd been just fine without me, you even had a child you didn't even tell me about." He accused.

"We hadn't spoken in months. I didn't want to cause you more pain." Ana said forlornly, "I knew you still had feelings for me. I wanted to give you time to forget." She insisted.

"Except _you_ are the one who forgot." He scowled, "The moment you met _him,_ I became nothing to you."

"You knew I had a soulmate." She shook her head, "You _knew_ it couldn't last forever." She accused Lotor, the vampire's lip curling into a displeased snarl.

Lance could tell he was becoming agitated, once relaxed stance now straight as a board and angled defensively. Meanwhile Ana was still glued to the same spot, talking softly despite his rising fury.

"None of that matters now." Lotor finally said stoically, "I have plans that are going to make things right. I've lived in the shadows for too long, it's time for that to stop."

"It doesn't have to be this way." Ana pleaded, stepping towards Lotor imploringly, "Just stop whatever it is your planning, and hand yourself over, before more people die of your reckless decisions." She shook her head, brows slanted from commiseration, as she said softly, "You can't force me to love you, Lotor."

Lotor's head tipped back and forth as he commenced his own personal parley, mouth twitching as he finally blinked back to Ana with alarming clarity.

"You're right." He said simply, "I can't force you to love me. But the thing is...” He snapped his fingers as if he’d had some great realization, “...I don't _need_ you anymore Ana. After so many years of pining, I've finally moved on to better things."

Ana's face contorted with confusion and there was a sudden sound that cut through the treeline, several figures Lance didn't recognize stepping out from the forest to huddle behind Lotor. Gazing to his right he caught Veronica's gaze, which was filled with urgency.

_‘Something is wrong.’_

"What are you talking about?" Ana asked impatiently as her head swiveled. Those who could only be presumed as Lotor's underlings accumulated steadfastly, Lance managing to count at least fifteen new presences in the field before they stopped trickling from the depths of trees. Lance's breath caught in his throat - these were the people Keith and Shiro were meant to take out.

_‘So where is Keith?’_

Lotor smirked down at Ana, "Like I said, I've found myself a new queen. One a little more... compliant. See, I had expected an attack from you, so I made some precautions. And my friends caught me a lovely consolation prize." His eyes landed on the patch of trees over Ana's shoulder, prompting all gazes in the trees to shift towards that point. Bark was crushed into dust beneath Lance's palm as he stared anxiously at the treeline, toes wavering eagerly on the edge of the branch.

At last there was a rustle, and a muffled sound of a struggle, as three more silhouettes appeared from the woods. Lance held his breath, regretting it the moment he caught sight of a familiar head of hair peeking out through the trees, and the contained inhale choked him.

_"Keith."_

The figures emerged into the light of the moon, Keith's pale skin reflecting the illuminated shafts, adorned with tiny beads of sweat. The muffled sound Lance had heard, he realized, had been Keith's screaming through the cloth gagging his mouth, his hands also bound behind his back. He struggled in the hold of the two men either side of him, brow furrowed furiously as he kicked at their shins and squirmed in their grasp, but to no avail, as they marched him towards Lotor.

Ana's eyes widened and she moved towards him, halted by Lotor's arms as they wrapped beneath her armpits, her flailing doing nothing to loosen his grip as she gazed in horror towards Lance's soulmate.

 _"KEITH!"_ Lance screeched and sprung out of the shadows obscuring him, hearing Veronica's shouts of fulmination from above him as he shot forwards, making a beeline for Keith with his gun clutched in his hands. The hunter's eyes widened as he caught sight of Lance, glancing off to something to Lance's right before yelling urgently through his gag, his warnings nonsensical and consequentially failing to prepare Lance for the sudden burn that overcame his body a few seconds later. Keith screamed, thrashing leg falling limp as pain flourished across his thigh, the burn of the bullet relaying from Lance's leg to his.

Lance heard several haggard cries of his name from around him as he blinked down at his side, blurry vision just barely conveying that a bullet had nestled itself in his thigh. Glancing over, he saw the smoking barrel of a gun clutched in the hand of a pink haired subordinate that had closed in on him, and the triumphant grin stretched over her face. He fell to the ground with a scream, clutching at his leg in agony.

There was a bellow of fury and the rest of the McClains flew from the trees, sprinting towards Lance. Veronica made an advance towards Keith, but before she could get within a few hundred feet she was tackled to the ground by a bulky, pale skinned minion, who snarled in her face. A blade went skimming past and there was a wretched scream from nearby, and the pink haired girl fell to the ground as the silver knife burrowed itself precisely into her shoulder.

"Lance!" A face appeared in his peripheral and Mateo fell to his knees, hoisting Lance up, "Are you alright?"

He spat out a mouthful of blood and grass, hacking up the dirt that had stuck to his gums.

"I'm fine - you need to help them." He barked, seeing Ana stomp on Lotor's foot, escaping his grasp and sprinting in Veronica's direction. Pulling a blade from her vest, she drove it home into the back of the sinewy vampire that loomed over the girl, shoving him off her and hoisting her to her feet. One of Keith's escorts had been bowled over by Lorenzo, who was struggling to escape the other's fists as they came flying at him. Lance watched desperately as Keith was finally dragged to Lotor's side, a sudden rush of adrenaline numbing the pain in his leg for a split second.

"Lance, wait-!" Mateo hollered as Lance shrugged off his grasp, dragging himself to his feet and sprinting in Keith's direction, dragging his pistol from where it had fallen onto the ground.

"Let _go of him!"_ He bellowed as Lotor grabbed ahold of Keith's face, stroking a slim finger down his cheek. Disgust curled in Lance's gut at the sight of Keith's shiver, prompting his legs to move quicker, his thigh burning from the strain. Lotor's underlings were on the move, bounding towards him with blades and pistols brandished, but he didn't care. Not when Keith was in someone else's arms, quaking with fear and eyes filled with fury as Lotor gazed down at him. Lance could tell he was itching to spit in his face, but with his mouth out of commission, all he could do was glare.

He and Lance made eye contact as he strained to turn his face in Lotor's grasp, watching Lance's heady advance, stomach clenching as the vampires advancing on his boyfriend edged closer and closer. Lance shot at as many as he could, but before long he was out of bullets and he was shoving the empty pistol back into his waist band, wielding his blade instead, slicing and stabbing at the vampires coming at him. Keith pleaded with his eyes, screaming though the wet cloth in his mouth for Lance to stop. But the vampire didn't halt, even with tens of bullets flying past the shells of his ears.

"Watch, little bird. Watch as he dies." Lotor breathed into his ear. Keith flailed in his grip, managing to free one hand, stretching it out in Lance's direction.

Lance reached out to him, too. Keith's hand was so close. He was _so_ close.

He could hear his family's screams of terror behind him, could see the menacing expressions on the faces of the vampires nearing closer. But Keith was reaching out to him, and he couldn't turn away.

He stumbled as one of the bullets lodged itself in his shoulder, keeping up his pace despite the harrowing howl that left his lips. Lotor was dragging Keith away from him, now, screams of Lance's name leaving the human's lips as he was pulled further and further away until Lance's blurry tunnel of vision couldn't perceive his outstretched hand any longer. But still, he continued to run, sprinting harder despite the way his body screamed in agony more and more each second.

"Lance, stop it!" He heard his father's voice nearby, feeling him advancing behind him as the vampires firing at him backed away, following Lotor into the trees. His throat was burning - he was screaming, he realized, shouting Keith's name as he began to falter, staggering onward through he wasn't even sure what he was running towards anymore. Lotor and Keith had disappeared, only the few speckles of light from the forest ahead indicating which direction they'd vanished in. There were no bullets soaring towards him anymore, and the darkness was invading, the entrance to the forest getting closer with each step.

"Lance, he's _gone."_ His father's voice came again, this time along with his body, which came bounding into Lance's, forcing him onto the ground before he became lost in the maze of trees. Lorenzo squeezed his arms around his waist, lifting him up and holding him back as he kicked and screamed.

He pounded his fists against Lorenzo's shoulders, "Let me _go-_ Keith!"

"Lance if you keep going you'll die!" Veronica screeched, appearing in front of him, his vision shifting in and out of focus like a kaleidoscope.

He continued to fight even as Lorenzo and Veronica dragged him back to the cars under the canopy of trees where the others were standing by, watching on while worrying their lips as Lance broke down in his father's hold. Tears were dribbling down his cheeks and his limbs were still thrashing, though they burned and he could barely see anymore, that ebony black impeding further into his peripheral.

"Lance- _Lance_ calm down!" Ana pulled him against her, using the hidden strength in her arms to pin him in place. Using his remaining strength he tried to push her away, failing miserably as her familiar hold caused more tears to stream down his cheeks, a wrecked scream of agony leaving his lips. The rest of the family looked away from the scene mournfully.

"We're going to get him back." She whispered into Lance's ear.

"Yes, we are."

Veronica's fierce tone cut through the silence as she crouched down in front of Lance between Ana and her father, who were hurriedly stopping the blood from flowing out of Lance’s wounds.

"We're going to save him. But first, you need to find out where they're going." She said firmly, causing Lance's brow to furrow.

"R-Ronnie." Lance's lip wobbled, "I don't know how, I-"

"You and Keith share one of the strongest bonds any of us have ever seen. Use it - track him down." She ordered him, "If you want to get him back, you have to find out where he is first."

Lance swallowed, closing his eyes. The silence around him was stifling, but through it all there was a smell - a clean smell that lingered in all his dreams and happiest memories. But it was tainted with fear, and the coppery tint of blood. His face scrunched as he delved deeper.

"Focus, Lance..." Veronica's voice chimed in, "See past the pain and the fear. See _him."_

He squeezed his eyes shut tighter, fisting at the gravel beneath him, grinding the dusty, brittle material between his fingers. Through the darkness came that smell again, and a flash of indigo. There was a shout, but not from where he was sitting. The shout was in a familiar voice, and it was calling his name. His breath hitched and sudden his eyes flew open. He reeled backwards as a perfume cloud of fresh pine, pale skin and large stormy irises enveloped him, and his head was snapping towards the direction of the forest.

"They're headed downtown." He panted, staggering as Marco helped lift him to his feet.

Veronica glanced towards Ana, "They're going to Oriande."

"Lance you _did it."_ Ana grinned at her brother.

"If that's where they're going then we better hurry." A voice called from behind them, and they turned to see Mateo and Shiro approaching from the gravel car park. Shiro's arm was slung around Mateo's shoulders as he limped towards them, nose bleeding and the skin revealed by his torn shirt looking badly bruised.

"That place is a nest for nameless vampires. If he's taking Keith there it means he doesn't intend to keep him alive for long." Mateo said.

"I'll call Allura, she can meet us there and get you stitched up." Shiro said to Lance, pulling away from Mateo to lean against the side of Blue, retrieving his phone. Lance glanced towards him guiltily.

"I'm sorry, Shiro. This is all my fault." He murmured, "I should have-"

"We couldn't have seen it coming, Lance. None of us knew that he was gunning for Keith." Shiro cut him off, "Keith is strong, strong enough to survive on his own for a few hours while we come up with a plan and Allura gets those bullets out of you."

Lance fell silent at last, and Ana released him from her grip, swiping her thumb over his bloodied brow. He blinked at the feeling, struggling to peel his eyes back open once they shut.

"Get some rest." She said softly, feeling his weight flagging in her arms, gesturing for Marco to hoist him up out of her lap, just as he finally lost consciousness.

"Let's head downtown. Allura's going to meet us a few blocks from the bar." Shiro announced, tucking his phone back into his pocket. They broke apart and slid into the gathered cars, Shiro and Veronica heading towards Blue.

"What do you think Lotor's gonna do to Keith?" Veronica asked solemnly as Marco draped Lance over the back seat before heading over to join Ana in her car. The man clenched his jaw.

"I don't know." He said gravely, "But whatever it is, I have a feeling it won't be good."


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: **Assault, Violence, Minor Character Death** and **Character Injury**

Lance's eyes narrowed in on the hazy street lamps blurring in and out of focus as he stirred awake, groaning blearily as the world became sharp again. The sky was dark but he could see the first inches of sunlight peeking out from the horizon he could see from the car window. As his conciousness returned, he was steamrolled by a sudden thought.

_Keith._

He shot up, head spinning from the sudden rush of blood from his brain. Reaching out to open the car door, his fingers struggled to secure a grip on the plastic handle. Eventually it clicked and he managed to tumble out of the back seat, abruptly reminded of the bullet wedged in his thigh when he attempted to stand upright, wincing in pain.

"Woah, there." Mateo spotted him, catching him a moment before he fell to the ground, "I wouldn't try walking yet, bud."

"Keith." He groaned as his brother lifted him back to his feet, wrapping his arms around his torso to support him, "I have to go to Keith."

"Allura!" Mateo called over his shoulder, and Lance saw a flicker of dark skin and pale hair behind him. In a breath a pair of blue eyes were right in front of his face, as Allura helped Mateo push Lance back down into the car.

"You'll have no chance of saving Keith in this condition." She scolded him, "Let me stitch you up, then you can join the others."

"No, 'm fine." He drawled, trying to push himself back off his seat, Allura halting him with her palm, rolling her eyes as she shoved him back.

"If you weren't a vampire, you'd be dead by now. It'll only take a minute, just sit still." She scowled, delving into her medical kit as Mateo placed it beside her on the gravel. Glancing around Lance recognized that they were stopped off at a car park of a grocery store he recognized to be only a few blocks away from Oriande. From Keith.

"Relax." Allura murmured, his muscles tensing beneath her touch as she extracted the first bullet from his thigh, letting the silver shell clatter to the floor before swiftly stitching the gaping wound shut. It burned like hell, and the amount of blood he'd lost was beginning to register in his giddy mind, but he kept his gaze locked ahead, biting his lip to distract himself from the pain.

"How long has it been?" He asked as the day's first dregs of sunlight hit him directly in the eye, making him squint in its glow.

Mateo leaned against the side of the car, "An hour, maybe two. Lotor hasn't sent us anymore messages, so I think it's safe to presume he's waiting for us."

"What about Adam and the others? Are they still waiting for us at the park?"

Mateo shook his head, "He called a while ago, saying some government agents turned up with a whole squad of vampire hunters. They caught wind of our operation, apparently. He's back at the station right now, trying to smooth things over."

Lance nodded as Allura moved from his leg to his shoulder, his thigh so swathed in thick bandage it was sweltering. He could already feel the stretch of muscles in his leg as they swiftly repaired themselves now that the bullet had been dislodged, his pain easing little by little as he healed. He tipped his head back, staring at the fuzzy underneath of the roof above him, eyes lingering on the swirling patterns of felt glued to the metal. Despite his extended nap, a few fragments of sleep remained, making his eyes sting and his head pound.

There was something familiar in his chest. It was an immense hybrid of terror and hoplessness, deep in his gut. He recognised the feelings, yet they felt fuzzy and foreign to him. It was a similar sensation to what he’d felt when Keith had been trapped in the bathroom with Lotor.

“I can feel him.”

Allura glanced up at him, brow furrowed, and Mateo glided closer towards them.

“Is he in pain?” Allura asked.

”I don’t know. It’s not like his connection to me... I can feel what he’s feeling. His emotions, not his pain.”

”You mean your connection is empathetic, not physical?” Mateo puzzled.

“I guess... I know he’s scared. And he’s... he’s worried about us.” Lance scoffed, “Idiot, worrying about us when _he’s_ the one who got kidnapped.”

”Try to ignore it. You need to stay focused.” Mateo advised, just as the snip of Allura's scissors sounded below, detaching the end of the thread as she finished the final stitch.

"All done." She patted his uninjured shoulder as she returned her equipment to her bag, "Give it a little while, and you should-"

"No can do." He cut her off, "I have a Keith to get back, and it's already been a few hours. The longer we wait, the more likely it is he'll be dead when we arrive." He pushed past her, ignoring the remaining throb in his upper leg as he delved into the trunk of his car, restocking his bullets and claiming a clean blade to replace the bloodied one in his pocket.

"Lance those stitches won't hold for long." Allura cautioned him, "It'd be better just to wait for a little longer, until you can fight without risking your leg opening up again." She advised, though she knew even as she spoke her instructions would only fall on deaf ears. Just as she expected, Lance continued to load his gun, shoving it beneath his shirt to hide it in his waist band.

"Keith needs me, I can't wait any longer." He said, turning towards his family, who'd accumulated into a huddle behind him. He glanced towards his older brother.

"Matty, take Veronica back home, let Camila and mom know what's going on. Make sure they’re safe. Allura, you should head back to your apartment with Shiro, this place is about to get really dangerous." He instructed, "Me, dad, Ana and Marco will go to Oriande to save Keith and take Lotor down." He nodded in each person's direction as he gave his orders.

"You can't, not without me." Shiro said fiercely, "He's my brother."

"You're injured, and what's more, you're human." Lance told him plainly, "I know you want to help, but if you go in there you'll be the first person they go for. This isn't a couple of vampires like you're used to, this is an entire _nest_ of them."

Shiro opened his mouth to continue his protest, but before he could a small hand landed on his shoulder, and he turned to find Veronica looking sympathetically at him.

"Lance will heal in no time because of his vampire genes, but you're not in good enough shape to fight off a nest of vamps right now. Just trust him to bring Keith home." She said softly, placating him till he slowly stepped back from Lance, his bruised face falling into an expression of defeat.

"Fine." He grunted, "But you _better_ bring him home."

"I will, Shiro." Lance affirmed, squeezing the man's shoulder soothingly. Veronica guided him away towards Allura's car, the dark skinned woman giving Lance a quick kiss on the cheek before ducking in behind the wheel, whisking Shiro away.

Mateo approached his brother slowly, pulling him in for a hug. He patted Lance's back firmly before pulling away, giving his brother a serious look.

"Be safe, hermanito." He spoke the words as if they were an order.

"You too." Lance said as his brother and sister took turns kissing him goodbye. They hopped into the front seat of the car moments later, Veronica waving through the back window as they sped back home. Lance gazed after them for a second, before Ana's voice broke him from his reverie.

"So, what's the plan?" She asked, arms crossed.

Lance shook his head, flipping the hood of his jacket up over his head.

"No plan, not enough time. We don't have enough intel to form one anyway. We have no idea how many vampires are gonna be there, or where they'll be holding Keith. We're going in blind, unfortunately."

"So get Keith back, but don't die, basically." Marco said, cocking his gun.

"Yeah." Lance bit his lip, "It's gonna be tricky. You don't have to come." He gave them an out, admittedly unsurprised when they rejected it, Ana rolling her eyes and batting him over the head.

"We're with you, Lance."

Lance blinked around at them, receiving an affirming nod from his father as their gazes crossed. He forced a smile, before stepping forwards, gazing out at the dark street laid out in front of him.

"I'm so getting kicked out of college after this." He sighed, rolling his sleeves up before taking off in the direction of Oriande. The other three vampires were hot on his heel, Marco sprinting soundlessly right in his peripheral, leaning forwards to keep himself at a constant speed while still managing to keep his footsteps as light as a leaf floating on the breeze.

The closer they got, the more he could sense Keith. His body was loosing his breath at a rapid pace, and the terror was becoming more and more intense. He felt that trepidation in every inch of his body, chilling him even more than the night air. He knew it wasn't his own fear he was feeling, only prompting his feet to pound harder against the pavement, carrying him further away from the group.

Finally they turned a corner, Oriande's sign fickering ahead of them. Lance darted into an alley several metres from the entrance, pressing the edge of his palm down over his leg. It was barely a second before the others rounded the vertices of the wall and caught sight of him doubled over. Like Allura had promised, the stitches holding together were loosening, and he could already feel a warm trickle of blood running down his leg.

"Are you alright?" Ana placed her hand on his shoulder, pulling away when she felt a dampness smudge over her palm. Glancing down, she saw the patch of red illuminated under the street lamps, sourced directly from Lance's taught, wounded shoulder, "Oh, shit."

"It'll be fine. They just need to hold long enough for us to get Keith out of there." He panted lightly, turning to peek round the corner. There were two bouncers situated at the door, their pants looking particularly heavy, most likely from the weight of guns strapped to their waist. Narrowing his eyes, Lance could also see a wire leading from beneath their shirt from their ears. Lotor was waiting for him, as he'd suspected.

"Should we take them out?" Ana whispered to him, observing the scene ahead. Lance shook his head.

"That'll only prompt the others inside to attack. No, I have to go in there alone." He announced.

All three of his companions went wide-eyed, Ana's lip curling.

"No way." She said curtly.

"This is between Lotor and I.” He told her imploringly, "I'll go in and get Keith myself. You call Adam, tell him to get down here with the government squad as soon as possible. While you wait, I'll stall them inside."

"Stall them _how?_ Lotor will kill you the moment he gets the chance." Ana hissed, keeping her voice pitched low.

"I'll figure something out." He said desperately, _"Please,_ Ana. Trust me."

She continued to look reserved as Marco placed his hand on her back, turning her to face him.

"He can do this." He said firmly, "Lance is right, we're gonna need Adam and the others help to take Lotor and his clan down." He informed her, his wife's expression twisting a she battled with herself.

"It won't take that long, they're probably still at the park." Lance said, "The moment they arrive you can storm the bar, and get me and Keith out. Lotor is unconventional; he'll want to play with us before he kills us. That should give you some time."

"Play? You mean _torture,_ Lance." Ana scowled, "I'm not sending you in to be torn apart by his minions."

"Well, you don't have a choice. I'm going in there." He said stubbornly.

She huffed, throwing her hands up in the air and rattling off quick Spanish under her breath. She glared down at the floor for a few moments before her head snapped up, and she stabbed her finger into Lance's chest.

"Fine. But the moment something seems off, I'm coming in after you." She snarled protectively, before violently pulling Lance down for a hug. Despite the ferocity of her words, Lance could feel her trembling beneath her black sweater, her nails digging into his back as she clutched him to her desperately.

"I'll be back soon." He kissed her forehead, giving Marco and his father a swift embrace before stepping out of the alley, stuffing his hands inconspicuously into his pockets as he approached the metals doors of Oriande.

"Be careful." Ana whispered after him as she stared at his back, pulling her phone out to dial Adam's number.

The cold, golden eyes of the bouncers landed on Lance the minute he stepped off the sidewalk into the golden light of the street, narrowing as he ran his fingers through his hair, pushing the hood off his head to reveal his face. He could never get used to having those yellow orbs trained on him. He rarely saw vampires reveal their eyes; most preferred to hide them away. The few times Lance had ever shown his own had been in the hallway and alley with Keith, and remembering the way Keith's own indigo globes had filled with fear made him nauseous. Eyes like that pervaded blood lust, and the fact the nameless were never seen with their regular eye colour spoke for itself.

One mumbled into the microphone attached to his collar, most likely alerting his leader inside of Lance's arrival. He slowed his pace as he reached the foot of the steps leading up to the door, gazing unwaveringly up at the men.

"I'm here to see Lotor." He informed them, licking his lips as his head cocked to the side, "He stole something of mine, and I'd like it back."

The stayed rooted in position for a few beats, glaring down at Lance with tiny, illuminated pupils, before finally the one on the left turned towards the hulking doors behind him, a tinny voice buzzing from his earpiece.

"Follow me." He grunted, gesturing Lance through the doors, into the throng of vampires seated inside. Lance estimated there were at least twenty seated around the bar and at tables, while even more were clustered together on the dance floor. Blinking over to the impeccably dressed bartenders, he was reminded of Nyma, the lit up shelves and surrounding bar looking empty without her smug smile or flawless skin to accentuate them. The whole place was dimmer than he remembered. Colder.

Jaw clenching, he tore his gaze away, focusing on the back of the bouncer leading him through the room.

They walked up a few steps towards the secluded rooms in the corner of the bar Lance knew were usually reserved for VIPs, and the bouncer came to a stop outside, folding his hands in front of him.

"He's waiting for you inside." He said monotonously, without even bothering to meet Lance's eye. Lance's gaze bored into the cherry red wooden door in front of him and he took a deep breath, slowly wrapping his fingers around the handle.

Keith was inside, he could sense it, the terror in his gut at the precipice of tearing him apart and the familiar, fresh smell of his boyfriend wafting out of the room to mingle with lazy bar smoke. He could feel the bouncer eyeing him curiously as he pushed the door open, standing still as it swung past to reveal what lay inside, fists clenched at his side.

He almost retched when his senses were overwhelmed with nothing but _blood,_ its pungent smell and sickly red color tainting his nose and eyes. Lotor was lounging on a curvy red couch, swishing wine around in a glass in his hand, appearing almost bored. His head snapped towards Lance who clutched at his mouth, feeling vomit rise in his throat.

"Ah, Lance! Just on time." The vampire smiled, lips twisting savagely as he gestured towards the space in front of him, "You almost missed the show."

Lance turned towards the stage at the front of the room Lotor had motioned to, choking in horror as finally he laid eyes on Keith, no longer gagged, though his hands were still restrained behind his back.

Unlike before, when he was thrashing wildly in the hands of his captors, Keith now lay lifelessly on the stage. The only indication he was even alive still were his loud, shallow breaths and watering eyes, which were barely open halfway.

He was half naked, his jeans absent from his body and nowhere to be seen, leaving his quaking legs exposed. They flushed from the sudden rush of blood to the surface, draining out of him into the mouth of the vampire situated between his legs, piercing into his thigh with his fangs. There were another two vampires up on the stage with him, one attached to his neck and the other to his wrist.

"You _fucker!"_ Lance screeched, darting towards his boyfriend, who flinched at the sound of his voice. Two bodyguards shot forwards, holding him back as he attempted to leap onto the stage. He struggled but they held him steady as Keith's hazy eyes landed on Lance, sparking with faint recognition. He opened his mouth, lips moving around Lance's name but his throat forcing only a tiny croak from him.

"Is that anyway to talk to me? After I so willingly welcomed you into my nest?" Lotor tutted, placing his glass onto the table before standing from the couch. He stalked towards Lance, pouting mockingly.

"You're _killing_ him." He said in anguish as Keith's eyes slid shut, "Make them stop - _please."_ He pleaded.

Lotor's mouth twitched in sick amusement, and he turned to the stage, flicking his wrist. Begrudgingly, the three vampires pulled away from Keith, letting him fall to the floor with a thud as they released him.

"Bring him to me." He ordered, taking a seat in a wide chair adjacent to him, facing Lance. The three underlings in front of him, mouths still tinged red with Keith's blood, dragged the human from the stage. Lotor maintained eye contact with Lance as Keith was placed into his lap, a fear-filled hitch of breath leaving the boy as Lotor's hands landed on his waist.

Not once did he stop staring at Lance, not even as he bit into Keith's neck, the human's head flying back as he cry of protest left his lips.

"Lotor, let him go." Lance fought to free himself from the guard's grip, resenting how forlorn he sounded, "I'll do anything, please, just _let him go."_

He breathed with relief as Lotor pulled away from Keith's neck, swallowing exaggeratedly and licking the excess blood from his lips. Lance flinched as Lotor tossed Keith from his lap, the boy landing on the floor in a heap. He was in Lance's face in an instant, lips curled into a snarl as he hissed.

"Get on your knees. I wish to see you grovel at my feet." He requested, breath fanning over Lance's face, making him retch with its blood-tainted stench. Lotor clamped his hand down on Lance's shoulder, causing a hiss to escape him as he pressed his thumb into the bullet hole barely being held together by the weak stitches, forcing Lance onto the ground.

Glaring at Lotor's feet, resisting the urge to spit on them, Lance flinched as Lotor's fingers twined in his hair and wrenched his head back. He glared up at the vampire as his finger trailed down his face, curling around his chin.

"How long I've waiting to see you like this..." Lotor cooed as he stared down at Lance, "Now, _beg."_

Lance snarled under his breath, mustering up all the hatred he could and concentrating all its might into his gaze. Lotor appeared to be unperturbed by Lance's fiery expression, his fingers only winding tighter in his hair.

Lance exhaled, glancing swiftly towards the shaking figure on the floor a few feet from him, focusing until he heard the stutter of a breath. It gave him momentum as he blinked back to Lotor, swallowing thickly.

"Please." He whispered.

Lotor wrenched at his hair.

_"Louder."_

Lance gritted his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut for a second, picturing Keith's face.

"Please, Lotor. Let him go. _Please."_ He adjured, "Do what you want to me. Hell, _kill_ me if you have to, but I'm begging you, just let Keith go."

Lotor crouched, lowering himself to the ground so he and Lance were face to face. His lips were stretched into a wide, triumphant smirk as he gazed into Lance's defeated eyes, sighing to himself.

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" He uttered, jerking his head towards Keith's hunched up body. Two of the vampires in the room were at his side immediately, hoisting Keith up, letting his legs dangle mid air, too weak to hold him up anyway. One curled his hand around Keith's chin, forcing his gaze towards Lance. Their eyes met briefly, and Lance itched to have him in his arms, to kiss away the tremor of his skin and the tears gathered in his eyes.

"Watch, my little raspberry." Lotor purred, "I wouldn't want you to miss this."

Lance distantly heard Keith scream, though it took him a few moments to figure out why. His mouth lolled open and he felt the tell-tale burn of a cry leaving his throat, a sharp, breathtaking pain blooming in his lower belly.

Out of nowhere Lotor had brandished a blade, and was now stabbing it repeatedly into Lance's stomach. He kept his hand on Lance's shoulder, holding him up as he hunched over, choking on a sudden flood of blood that swirled in his mouth. His eyes were wide and shocked, the pain beginning to register around the third puncture of Lotor's dagger.

His chin rested on Lotor's shoulder, body sagging in his hold. He lurched with every stab, the room spinning like he was dizzy or on a rapidly rotating roller coaster. He recognized his name as it was called time and time again, eyes snagging on a pair of flailing legs as Keith kicked and punched his way out of the vampires hold, only to be held back by a firm grip around his waist as he attempted to run to his boyfriend.

Lance swallowed, mouth parting as the closest sound to Keith's name he could make with his limited dialect left his slack mouth, the blood making it sound more like a gargle.

Tears splattered onto the carpet from the cliff of Keith's chin as he reached his hand out in Lance's direction, discarding any concern he might have had for his raw throat as he screamed continuously, wheezing from the overflowing panic settling in his chest. There wasn't a spot of the lower half of Lance's shirt that wasn't stained with red, Lotor's blade driving into him again and again and again and _again._ He'd long since passed the threshold of killing Lance, his expression bordering on pleasure as he finally slowed the piston of his wrist.

Lance was hardly breathing and his eyes had long since closed, wiping Keith from his field of vision as everything went black. The only indication he got he was still conscious was the throb of his ears from the onslaught of Keith's yells, and the burn of his abdomen threatening to steal away his teetering pulse any second now.

Lotor leaned down so his lips were situated right next to Lance's ear, speaking with unfounded tenderness as he whispered into it. His hand reached out and a thick, sharp piece of wood was placed in it by the minion stood behind him.

"Goodbye, Lance." He raised his wrist, poising the stake over the untouched flesh of Lance's chest, right where his heart lay, "As a token of my appreciation, I promise that I'll make your mate’s death swift."

 _"NO!"_ Keith bellowed as Lotor drew his wrist back. Lance peeled his eyes open, keeping his gaze locked onto Keith's face. He moved his lips, knowing fully well any sound he made now would sound pathetic and strangled.

Keith's heart wrenched as Lance mouthed to him what Keith would never have the oppurtunity to repeat back.

_I love you._

He squeezed his eyes shut, wrenching his face out of his captor's hold to turn away from the scene in front of him. He couldn't watch Lance die, couldn't accept that his final words wouldn't have even been spoken, nor reciprocated, just barely breathed between his cold lips. His voice was hoarse as he cried Lance's name a final time, wheezing as a fist flew into his stomach, winding him so he could scream no further.

He waited for the sound of the wood burying itself in Lance's chest, for the sound of Lance's final, haggard breath. He waited second after second, his heart beating wildly.

But instead there was a crash, then a loud shout of surprise from the guard situated at the door. Keith's eyes flew open just in time to see the broad framed vampire fall to the ground, pinned in place by a man with familiar caramel skin, who punched him squarely in the face, knocking him out in an instant.

_"Lance!"_

He heard Ana's hollered cry of outrage as her gaze landed on Lotor, and her almost lifeless brother hunched in front of him. She kicked at the legs of the two vampires in her way until they tumbled onto their backs, launching herself at Lotor before he could make a single move to stop her, pinning him in place as she aimed a precise blow to his jaw, sending his head flying back with a crack.

"Papi, get Lance and Keith _out of here!"_ She barked as Marco joined her, after delivering a brutal kick to the final vampire he'd taken down. Keith had fallen to the floor without even realizing it, the two minions who'd been holding him now lying unconscious on the floor. Lorenzo appeared in front of him, sweeping him up along with Lance, helping them stagger out of the room.

Marco growled, hoisting Lotor up while Ana leaned back, her thighs pressed either side of his hips, keeping his legs in place. Not that she needed to - Lotor barely put up a fight as she reached into her back pocket, pulling out a serrated piece of wood. She drew the stake up over her head, pointing it in the direction of Lotor's heart.

She froze, a cold hand caressing her cheek as Lotor freed one of his arms from Marco's grip. Blinking down, she was surprised to find his expression mellow, eyes gazing lovingly up at her.

"I'm glad it's you." He whispered, brushing his thumb over her cheek before letting his hand fall limply to the floor.

Ana stared down at him solemnly, swallowing the emotion in her throat.

"Goodbye, Lotor."

Keith flinched at the sound of Lotor's tormented scream as Lorenzo pulled him through the club, tenderly placing one of his hands over Keith's ears, also using it to shield his eyes like a fleshy horse blinder.

"Avert your eyes." He mumbled kindly to him as he dragged Keith and Lance past the bodies amassed on the dance floor, figures clad in black pacing around the area, searching for any remaining vampires that may have been lurking. Their voices crackled through speakers built into their helmets as they surveyed the bar, which was now a battlefield of broken glass and dead vampires.

Lance had long since fallen unconscious in his father's arms, and was down dangling over his shoulder like a damsel. Keith gazed worryingly at his pale face as they finally reached the exit of the club, where several large, black vans were parked, being loaded with the vampires they'd managed to capture.

"Keith! Lance!" Keith blinked up blearily to find Adam running towards them, lifting his face to inspect it, "They need a hospital, right now. Should I-?"

"I'll help them to the ambulance." Lorenzo said gruffly, "You stay here, help round up the rest of the vampires."

"Yes, sir." Adam nodded obediently, gently releasing Keith's face.

"And call Shiro. Let him know that we got Keith back and we're headed to the hospital." Lorenzo told him, receiving another understanding nod before Adam headed over to the swarm of vehicles parked outside the club.

Lorenzo lowered Keith and Lance gently onto separate beds after a soft-voiced medic had helped him lift them into the vehicle's pearly white insides. Keith shuddered, wrapping his arms around his middle. Noticing his shivering, Lorenzo slowly lifted the blanket at his feet up and over his body, resting a paternal hand in his hair.

"It's alright, Keith." He soothed, "I've got you."

Keith fell asleep to Lorenzo's gentle hand carding through his hair, and the purr of the ambulance engine beneath his head. As his eyes slipped shut he took a final glance at Lance across from him, squeezing his hand tighter around his pillow before letting the impeding blackness finally fall over him.


	21. Chapter 21

_Bleep. Bleep. Bleep._

His eyes opened and his limbs flinched in shock. There was a startling sensation of liquid flowing through them, and his nose was clogged with thin, florescent tubes running up each nostril. He winced, flexing his fingers, feeling a prickle beneath his skin. Glancing down, he spotted a needle protruding from the back of his palm, held in place by hospital tape.

_Hospital..._

He choked, pushing himself up despite the uncomfortable grinding of needle on bone. There was nothing but a white wall opposite him, the view to his right obscured by a thin grey curtain. There was a window to his left, and across the way he could see an empty bed in another room.

_Lance, where was-?_

"Lance." He wheezed, wrenching the tubes from his nose with a grimace. The coldness of the stale air was apparent, stealing away the warmth his blanket had provided as it fell to the floor. He wanted to stand but his legs gave way to gravity the moment he swung them off the bed, shaky, weak. There was an urge within him to retch but he forced it down, ripping the curtain back instead.

A nurse shrieked in surprise as he emerged, hunched over and still connected to the blinking machines next to his bed. There was hair plastered to his forehead and his vision was still fuzzy, eyelashes cemented down on his cheeks with sleep-induced goop.

"M-Mr. Kogane-?!"

"Where am I?" He grumbled, ripping the needles from his hands.

"You're still recovering! You shouldn't be-!" The nurse began, rushing forwards to hold him up before his knees gave out.

"Lance." He repeated, rubbing at his bleary eyes, pushing the nurse away, "The others - where are the others?"

"Mr. Kogane, please." The nurse implored, "Your doctor will be here soon, he'll explain everything. Just sit down." She ordered, a tendril of her brown hair grazing his cheek as she pushed him back onto the bed. He didn't resist; he was too weak to stay upright anyway.

"I need to know where Lance is." He clung to her arm desperately, "He was hurt - is he here?"

"Like I said, Dr. Holt will be here any minute." She said sympathetically, "Rest for now."

He pressed his lips into a thin line as she pulled away, leaving the room with a flustered expression. He blinked around. The other five beds were empty, making him the only patient in the room. There were people shuffling by outside, and he managed to catch a glimpse of the busy hospital corridor as the nurse flung the door open to leave, filled with squeaky trolleys, carrying bowls of soup and sandwiches. Though there was no clock, the lunch food, along with the bright sunlight through the window, indicated it was midday.

His gaze snagged on the bright blooms at the end of his bed, placed in a crystal vase. He reached over, thumbing at the velvety red petals. Had the others come to visit him? Would they be there now?

But other than the flowers, there was nothing indicating he'd had any visitors. His mind drifted back to thoughts of Lance - did he make it? He gulped, his spotty memory bringing forth nauseating images of Lance stained with blood, his eyes fixed ahead in shock as Lotor drove that blade into his stomach. Keith gripped at his gown, tossing his head back towards the door, waiting.

There were shadows lingering at the frosted glass of the entryway, and he spotted the silhouette of glasses on one of their faces. They were mumbling to one another, the bespectacled one clinging to what looked like a clipboard. Keith held his breath as the door finally slid open, and a tall man in a white coat entered the room, salt and pepper hair neatly parted to the side and his beard professionally trimmed. He smiled as he approached Keith, taking tender steps as if he expected him to pounce.

"Keith, it's nice to meet you. Katie has told me all about you." The doctor pulled a chair up, taking a seat next to Keith's bed. Keith narrowed his eyes.

"I don't know anyone called Katie." He grumbled. The doctor chuckled.

"Of course you don't; she hardly goes by her real name anymore. You must know her as Pidge?" His lips tilted as he understanding swept over Keith's face.

"You're... Pidge's dad." He deduced, and the doctor gave a little nod. Keith leaned towards him eagerly, "Is she here?"

"She was." Sam hummed, "I'm sure she'll be by later. You have some very dedicated friends."

Keith exhaled with ease, squeezing his eyes shut for a brief moment. Pidge had been there, so Lance must be alive. She'd be too busy plotting revenge if he weren't, probably against Keith. Knowing there'd be a familiar face nearby soon enough settled him enough that he moved his hand away from the flower vase, which until then he'd seriously been considering brandishing as a weapon.

"We've replenished most of the blood you lost. Unfortunately you'll be left with some scars for a while." Sam gestured to Keith's shoulder and neck. Keith brushed his fingers over them, discerning the marred tissue with a shiver. He felt around his thigh, hitching his gown up and glancing down at the circular bite mark mottled into his skin.

He suddenly had an urgent thought, and snapped his head up, "What about Lance?"

Sam's lips twitched sadly, "I'm afraid he hasn't woken up yet. You lost a lost of blood but your wounds were all superficial. His... were not."

Keith worried his brow, leaning in, clutching at the sheets, "Will he be okay?" He asked direly.

Sam smiled, patting Keith's shoulder.

"He'll make a full recovery, it'll just take some time."

Keith sighed, bringing his hands to his face in relief, blanket still gripped between his nimble fingers. Sam watched him with a fond smile, standing from his seat and reaching into one of the drawers next to Keith's bed.

"Let's get you out of that gown. Allura and Shiro dropped off some clothes for you." He pulled out a loose pair of jeans and Keith's favorite sweater, the one he’d worn on his first date with Lance. He took the fabric in his fingers, nosing it softly.

"How have the McClains been holding up?" He asked, glancing up at the doctor as he began to pull the clothes on.

"Rosa and Lorenzo haven't left Lance's side." Sam smiled wryly, "Ana and Marco have extended their visit indefinitely and are looking after the kids while they're here." Sam explained, "Your brother's been by a few times to see him, too."

Keith cocked his head in surprise, popping his head out of the neck of his sweater, "Shiro went to see Lance?"

"It seems he's very grateful to Lance for saving you from those muggers. Every time he's come to visit you, he's gone to Lance's room, too."

Keith wanted to laugh. How on earth they’d managed to convince a trained doctor he’d been bitten and lost all that blood because of common muggers he had no idea.

Instead he hummed thoughtfully, picking at the sleeves of his sweater. Whether it was his change of clothing or hearing that his brother had finally accepted Lance he didn't know, but he suddenly felt a warm feeling, sprouting from his heart to the rest of his body.

"Can... can I see him?" He brought his gaze up imploringly.

Sam smiled pitifully, "He probably won't be awake for a while yet, but you're welcome to go wait with his family."

The idea of Rosa's soft hugs and Veronica's smile made Keith all the more eager as he pulled his boots and socks on, following Sam impatiently to the door. The doctor led him through the chrome white halls of the hospital. The pungent scent of disinfectant came at him from all directions, and besides the shuffling of feet and the occasional murmur, the only sound he could make out was the bleeping of machines.

It made him tense as he was led up floor after floor, until he was almost certain they were at the top. The floor for the most severe cases, Keith recalled with a gulp. He swallowed his nerves and kept up his pace, despite his sudden urge to return to the safe confines of his room. His need to see Lance was greater; it was if a thick, invisible rope was dragging him towards his boyfriend, who he could sense desperately needed him.

"He's at the end of the hall, the room with all the flowers." Sam gestured, "Do you want me to accompany you?"

"It's okay." Keith rebuffed.

"I'll get you discharged so Mr. and Mrs. McClain can drop you home after." The doctor turned to walk in the direction they came from, "Let me know if anything changes in your condition."

"Thank you, Dr Holt." Keith said sincerely, waving goodbye to Sam until he turned the corner, out of sight. He spun back around in the direction of Lance's room, marching towards the door. Just as Sam had said, through the window Keith could see the room overflowing with flowers of all different colors, lining every surface and even some of the floor.

He came to a stop at the half-open door, peeking through the gap. He could hear muttering from inside, no more than three participating in the conversation, he deduced, not including the bleep of the machines hooked up to Lance. Keith didn't dare look at his face, he only focused on the slim hand laying stationary next to the blanketed form of his boyfriend, longing for a twitch, or a clench of fingers. Anything indicating there was any life in him at all.

He slowly pushed the door open, wincing as a startling creak sounded along with the brush of the tassels attached to the bottom. His hand fell from the handle and he stood silently, meeting the three pairs of eyes that landed on him.

"Keith?" Veronica spoke first, raising up out of her chair. She took tentative steps towards him, as if he were a ghost, steadily reaching out to touch his arm.

She exhaled as she squeezed the firm muscle there, releasing another sound that was the hybrid of a sob and a cry of relief. He didn't hesitate to wrap his arms tightly around her middle, drinking in the familiar scent of her hair and shape of her frame.

"Ronnie." He whispered, "God, it's so good to see you." He pulled away to stare at her face, spotting a few traitorous tears brimming in her eyes.

He focused on a mass of curls behind her head, identifying the slim line of Rosa's lips, pulled into a tight smile as she also held back her weeping. She stepped forwards to pull Keith away from her daughter, asphyxiating him with the strength of her hold.

"We were so worried about you, amor." Her lip wobbled, "Look at what they've done to you." Her fingertips skimmed the area of his neck that had been blemished white by teeth solemnly, the skin painfully prickling a little at her touch.

"It’s fine, Rosa." He hugged her back with equal force, smiling as she kissed his head motherly, “I’m okay.”

"Are you sure?" Mateo asked rising out of his seat, "You can stay here longer if you want, get a second opinion?"

"I just want to go home." He smiled weakly as Lance's brother placed his hand over Keith's. Glancing over his shoulder, Keith's gaze fell on the hospital bed in the center in the room, in particular, the man on top of it.

The three McClains parted for him like the Red Sea for Moses as he stepped towards Lance, lowering himself slowly into the plastic chair closest to his head. With a tender touch he passed his hand over Lance's face, stroking at his hollowed cheeks and fragmented lips. There were two symmetrical tubes running from his nose and over his ears, taped down over the several dark bruises on his skin.

Keith sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and slanted his brow, slipping his hand between Lance's limp digits and squeezing. He brushed the hair from his eyes and leaned down, touching their foreheads together.

"How long has he been like this?" Keith tremored.

"It's been a week since the attack. You faded in and out, but he hasn't woken up once." Mateo mourned, joining Keith at Lance's side, "Sam said he should be up soon, though."

"What happened while I was out?" He asked, glancing up at Mateo.

Mateo sighed, "The government agents took all the bodies away swiftly, before anyone else could even see them. The few that didn't put up a fight have been moved to a secure government facility, far away from here. Oriande's been moved to new ownership, and the families of the vampires involved that night have been notified and debriefed." He pursed his lips, "It's as if nothing happened at all."

"They're nothing if not thorough." Keith acknowledged with a grumble, mouth twisting into a frown as he brushed aside a lock of Lance's hair, revealing one of the many scratches littering his face. A white piece of tape held the gash together, pulling at Lance's brow and giving him a disgruntled expression.

After another sweep of Lance's face with his hand, a determined countenance settled comfortably onto his face, and he brought his gaze up to Mateo.

"When are visiting hours?"

———————❖———————

Keith went home with the McClains later that evening, sinking into Lance's sheets after some encouragement from Rosa. The bed was so much larger than before without the barricade of the blue-eyed boy sleeping soundly next to him, and far too quiet. He wasted the night away rolling around in an attempt to sleep, his head spinning from the whirling motions. He couldn't bring himself to even think about returning to college, his body and mind too weak and feeble for that.

He spent the following few days in that same pattern, rising only to visit Lance in the hospital and to gather in the kitchen for dinner with the rest of the McClains each evening, before repeating the process, mostly out of courtesy. He saw how worried Rosa was for him, and with the added anxiety from having her beloved son in hospital, he couldn't refuse the home cooked meals she placed down in front of him each night, no matter how much his stomach churned at the thought of eating.

His days were consumed with Lance. Thoughts of Lance, visits to Lance; they engulfed not only every waking moment, but his dreams, too. One day Allura and Shiro accompanied him on a visit to the hospital. He could feel the concern radiating towards him from every person he saw, and he detested it. All he cared about was Lance, who still refused to wake, even as the days dragged into a week.

On the first day of the second week, Keith got the call.

His phone had clattered to the floor a few moments after he'd answered, laying forgotten there as he burst out of Lance's bedroom, still dressed in only his boyfriend's pajamas, dashing downstairs to where Veronica and Rosa stood in the kitchen making breakfast. They jumped in shock as he slammed the door open, panting raggedly.

"Keith...?" Veronica's mouth popped open as she glanced him up and down, "What's-?"

"P-Pidge called," He heaved, "He's awake."

Rosa's spatula fell from her hand and she slapped her hands over her mouth, clutching Veronica's arm.

"H-He's-?" Rosa stuttered, yanking off her pinny.

"Well, then let's go! Rápido!" Veronica bounded out of the kitchen, snatching Keith's hand as she passed to drag him out of the door.

"Hold your horses, mija, let Keith get dressed!" Rosa exclaimed.

"No time! Get Luis and Lorenzo and call Mateo and Ana!" Keith ordered as Rosa hurried from the house, screaming Spanish up the stairs and grabbing her coat on her way out. She, Keith and Veronica climbed into the family car, Luis and Lorenzo tumbling from the house after them moments later. They were barely strapped in when Rosa pulled away from the curb, hurtling down the street.

"How long has he been up?" Lorenzo turned over his shoulder to address Keith in the back seat.

"I'm not sure. I heard he was up and kind of... didn't listen to the rest." He said slowly. Lorenzo's brow knitted together and he squeezed his eyes shut in exasperation.

"All that matters is he's awake." Rosa said firmly.

"I texted Ana and Mateo. They're on their way over." Veronica glanced up from her phone, furiously typing all the while.

"Tell them to leave the others there - we don't want to overwhelm him." Rosa instructed, Veronica nodding understandingly.

"I think you alone would be enough to overwhelm him, mami." Luis grumbled, shouting in pain as Rosa reached behind her to slap the back of his head in two, swift movements.

Keith nibbled at his fingernails as the hospital came into view, the large expanse of green surrounding it making him wince. It felt too bright, too optimistic for what was ahead. Lance would be different, more withdrawn, and he wasn't sure he was quite ready to face that. But the thought of seeing him awake, seeing him _alive_ made his heart thrum with joy and anticipation, drowning out any invading, cynical thoughts.

"Hey," Veronica's soft, lilting voice cut in, "Don't be nervous. He's gonna be so happy you're okay." She pressed her shoulder into his teasingly, her big hazel eyes gazing up at him encouragingly.

"All that matters is Lance." Keith smiled waveringly at her, "We can figure out the rest later."

She thinned out her lips, to his surprise resting her head against his shoulder and squeezing his arm. Like he was somehow her support in this situation, where she was surrounded by three other people she loved.

Like they were family.

"It's gonna be alright." She murmured, trying to convince both of them, it seemed, "You two can get through anything. We all know it."

Luis nodded in agreement, fixing Keith with a stare startlingly similar to Lance's.

"Chin up, mijo." Rosa pitched in, "There's nothing to worry about."

He kept those words in mind as they entered the hospital, he and Veronica arm in arm. He appreciated the physical support; his knees were trembling so hard he feared he would cave in on the linoleum.

They made their way across the floor hurriedly, meeting up with Mateo and Ana near the front desk. The receptionist’s eyes boggled as she perceived the large group bustling towards her, swallowing nervously. Rosa stepped forwards imploringly.

"My son just woke up, we're here to see him - he's in room 511?" She beseeched.

The pink haired receptionist cleared her throat, "I-I'm sorry ma'am, but visiting hours aren't until-"

"He's been in a coma for three weeks." Veronica cut in pleadingly, "Surely some exception can be made?"

"I'm sorry, but I really-"

A door opened from the hall passing behind the desk and out stepped Sam Holt, smiling kindly at them all, cutting the fearful looking receptionist off.

"It's alright, Florona, you can let them through."

Keith emanated a large breath gratefully, slinking past the large, circular desk to where Sam stood in the hall. The doctor turned to lead them to the elevators, where they all piled in silently.

"How is he?" Keith finally asked, once they were in the private confines of the stainless steel box.

"He's... a little spaced out. When he first woke up he was screaming - it took both Pidge and Hunk to calm him down. He's still pretty scared, but having you all there should help him come to." Sam explained as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open, revealing the busy hospital corridor.

Keith's pace increased in tempo with every step, until he was running ahead of Sam to get to Lance's room, Veronica right beside him. He caught sight of Pidge's fluffy head of hair and Hunk's orange headband through the glass window to Lance's room, heart skipping a beat when finally there Lance was, sat upright, talking and moving and _breathing,_ rid of any of the tubes that were previously slithering up his face.

"Hermano!" Veronica sped ahead of him as he slowed to a stop at the threshold of Lance's room, springing a large hug on the boy who was taken unaware by the sudden attack, judging by his shocked, wide blue eyes.

"R-Ronnie?!" He exclaimed, slowly bringing his arms to wrap around her waist.

Tears were flinging from Veronica's eyes as she rocked him back and forth, sat in his lap and kissing all over his face and head. He chuckled at the affection, and it'd been so long since Keith had heard that beautiful sound it rang like a distant memory in his ears, making his eyes well up.

"Gracias Dios que estás bien." Veronica blubbered, "We were so worried you wouldn't-"

"Cálmate, niñita, pareces fea." Lance grinned, and judging by the smack Veronica placed on his forearm, it seemed they were back to their usual banter. Rosa and Lorenzo stepped into the room next, the mother's eyes already red rimmed from the sight of her son alive and well.

"Ay, mamá, what's with all the tears, today?" Lance pulled his parents in, kissing them teasingly despite the drops welling in his own eyes. One by one, the rest of the family filtered into the room, gathering around Lance's bed, not a dry eye in the room. Keith watched anxiously, his feet heavy and unaccommodating, refusing to take him further than the door.

"Keith?" A soft voice interjected, his eyes flitting down to meet Pidge's hazel ones, brimming with concern, "Are you alright?"

"I-" He choked, bringing his gaze back up to the hospital bed, springing back in alarm when within the bundle of beige, he met familiar blue eyes that were staring directly at him.

Lance's mouth parted, as if he were surprised to see Keith standing there. He kept staring, gaze unwavering, like Keith would disappear if he dared look away.

"Mullet." The vampire finally breathed.

There was a beat of silence while Keith sucked in a breath, staggering a little as he finally entered the room. He reached the foot of Lance's bed and stopped, swallowing deeply.

"You look like shit." He croaked in return, wincing at the harsh delivery. However Lance broke out into a lopsided grin.

"You don't look too hot either, princess. Miss me?" Lance leaned forwards cockily, despite the obvious wince his face formed when he leaned too heavily on his arm.

"Hardly." Keith claimed with little conviction, "Things were actually kind of quiet for a while."

Veronica furrowed her brow, leaning over to Pidge with her brow furrowed.

"Is this some weird kind of foreplay or...?"

"No, they're just stubborn idiots who compete with each other over everything. Right now they're seeing who'll break first and admit they actually were worried about the other." Pidge muttered under her breath, "Also, they're both assholes, so being mean comes easier than being affectionate."

"It's adorable, really." Hunk's lips tilted as Keith edged closer to Lance's side, until he finally sat himself down on the edge of the bed. He awkwardly patted Lance's leg, leaving his hand there like it was magnetically glued to the muscle of his thigh.

Seeing the nervous look in each of their eyes, Rosa clapped her hands together, using her tough palms to usher the rest of the group out of the room.

"Let's give them some privacy to catch up, hm? Lance, honey, we'll be back up when visiting starts." Rosa kissed her son's forehead, his eyes squeezing tightly shut as he bathed himself in her affection.

"Thanks, mami." He uttered appreciatively.

Rosa smiled down at him warmly.

"Te amo." She whispered, brushing her thumb over his chin before exiting with the rest of her family, along with Pidge and Hunk. The fiberglass door swung shut, and the room was cast into silence.

Keith's hand hovered unassertive over Lance's own, fingers brushing his baby-soft skin. Lance smiled gingerly at the feather-light touch, taking Keith's hand into his more confident grasp. He thumbed over each of his boyfriend's knuckles individually, the flesh there marred from scars, both old and new.

"When I woke up, you weren't there." Lance spoke huskily, staring at their joined hands, "I looked around but... I couldn't see you anywhere. I thought..."

He trailed of idly, blinking to the side without commitment.

"I'm alright." Keith swallowed, "I'm okay, Lance." He dropped his tone as Lance's fingers started to tremble around his own, slowly sliding further up the bed to stroke the back of his hand over the vampire's sullen cheek.

"You almost _died."_ Lance pushed his hand away, "H-How can you bare to be near me anymore? What they did-" His face writhed with self-loathing, a look that made Keith's stomach churn.

"Was nothing like anything you've ever done to me before." He intervened, "You would never hurt me, Lance."

"How do you-?"

"You would _never_ hurt me." Keith repeated with emphasis, "If you can’t trust yourself, then trust me." He appealed, returning his hands to frame Lance's face. Even with bruises and scratches, he was so damn beautiful, and it nearly stole Keith's breath away to look at him in this proximity again.

"I love you." He confessed breathily, without care or difficulty. The words slid from his tongue as easy as the accompanying breath, painting a stunned expression onto Lance's face. The vampire didn't even twitch, while Keith continued to stare honestly into his eyes, waiting fearfully for a reaction.

Lance swallowed, "You...?"

Keith shuffled forwards, hands slipping from Lance's face into his lap to habitually fiddle with his sweater.

"I've known for a while." He murmured, "I think some part of me loved you all along. It just took time for my head to catch up with my heart." He smiled wryly.

"B-But I, but I'm not..."

Keith's heart sank as Lance trailed off and looked into his lap nervously. He shifted away, readying himself for the rejection, to stand from the bed and walk away, when-

"I'm not worthy."

Lance finished in a tone so small Keith almost missed it. Almost. He froze in place and turned to Lance, whose gaze continued to bore into his blanketed lap.

"What do you mean?" Keith pressed, "Lance, you taught me how wrong I was. You accepted me into your life despite all the horrible things I'd done, you... you _saved_ me. What part of that makes you unworthy?" He muttered, mind truly clouded with confusion.

"Keith, you wouldn't have even needed saving if it wasn't for me." Lance's gaze snapped up to him sharply, "Because of me and my family you were put in danger countless times. I wasn't strong enough to do what was right for you, but this time I won't stand by and wait for you to get hurt again." He shook his head emphatically.

Keith stared towards him pleadingly as Lance continued to push him away, grasping his hand tightly.

"You are my soulmate." He interjected firmly, "I understand that now more than ever. And I won't let you pull away from me because of your stupid pride." His words began to stick together as his speech became more and more vehement, and he pressed closer to Lance, "I can't lose you, not after everything we've been through."

He had merely a brief second to observe the stunned look on Lance's face before their lips met in a kiss, initiated by Keith who held Lance so tightly the vampire couldn't have pulled away if he wanted to.

But the moment Keith's lips touched his, it was as if a supernova had exploded behind his eyes, and he knew there was no chance of him ever pulling away. He gasped raggedly and dragged Keith closer by his hips, his heartbeat ringing in his ears and the delectable smell of his blood making his mouth water.

Despite being only semi-conscious within the heat of the kiss, Keith was all too aware of the watchful eyes and bleeping machines around them. He kept the kiss chaste, despite every part of him pleading to dip his tongue inside the cavern of Lance's mouth and explore it again, to recall the map he'd already forged in his mind of those sweet lips and hot tongue.

Lance breathed his name and he had to pull away, feeling arousal bubbling up in his belly. He pushed at Lance's shoulder to stop the vampire flying in for another kiss, cupping his cheeks to instead press their foreheads together.

"Don't push me away." He whispered into the minuscule space between them, watching Lance's eyes swirl with lust and torment, "I can't live without you, Lance."

Lance closed his eyes for a second, feeling himself losing his own internalized battle, nerves oversensitive and alight. Throwing caution to the wind, he nodded, kissing Keith once again, his sharp inhale echoing loudly in the silent room.

"You're my everything." He swallowed as they parted again, "I-I can't live without you either... literally." He smiled coyly.

"Then don't." Keith whispered.

The vampire released an emotional choke, allowing Keith to pull him into his chest. He listened carefully for the sound of the human's heartbeat, letting it lull him into comfort once again.

"I love you, Keith." His voice rumbled through Keith's rib-cage, "I always have."

It was Keith's turn to release a quiet sob of joy, his fingers tightening their hold on Lance's shirt as he tugged the vampire further into his embrace. A sudden knock at the window startled them both, forcing them to jump away from one another.

"Hey, you animals, what the hell are you doing? Control yourselves, this is a hospital." Pidge shouted through the thick window, side by side with Hunk and Veronica who watched the pair with identical grins. Mischief danced in their eyes, and Keith felt himself shudder.

"Thirsty?" He turned to Lance, who grinned wolfishly.

"Parched." He wiggled his eyebrows.

Shoving Lance's face away with a roll of his eyes, Keith sprung off the bed, making his way towards the door.

”Keith?” Lance interjected, Keith turning to find a puzzled expression on his face, “Are you... wearing my pajamas?”

Keith resembled a beetroot as his gaze shifted down, recalling that yes, he was indeed wearing Lance’s blue patchwork pajamas and a black tank top, covered only by a cardigan he’d borrowed from Rosa.

”I... yes? Is that a problem?”

Lance seemed to mull the question over for a bit, before a countenance spread over his face that was so wolfish Keith shuddered.

”You should be thankful I can barely move right now, or I’d mow your ass like grass.” He said with a wink.

Keith’s mouth parted in horror and he somehow turned an even darker shade of red, teetering a little.

“You horndog, we’re in a hospital.” He stuttered.

”Exhibitionism isn't a crime.” Lance countered.

”No, but public nudity _is.”_ Keith scowled, "Clearly your meds are messing with your head; I'll bring you some water so you can cool down.” He said, opening the hefty door, "And Lance?"

The vampire blinked towards him, innocent, large baby blues melting away the last chunks of ice around Keith's heart.

"Yeah?"

Keith smiled softly at his soulmate.

"You're worthy. I promise, I’m never gonna give you up."

Lance smiled softly to himself, keeping his eyes trained on Keith as he floated from the room. It wasn’t until after the door was closing his brow furrowed, and he sat suddenly upright.

“Keith, did you just quote Rick Astley at me?” He shouted, his boyfriend meeting his gaze through his glass window as he sauntered past. Lance’s mouth fell open as he winked.

“Keith, you adorable nerd!” Lance bellowed, “Get back here!”


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: **Explicit Sexual Content**
> 
> A quick apology:  
> I'm extremely sorry for the delay of the release of this final chapter. I originally planned for this to be posted on December 5th, two weeks after chapter 21. However, as those who follow my Instagram know, I got behind on editing because of college and shortly after that, I fell really, really ill and landed in hospital. I've had my good friend Hannah proof read this chapter for me instead and she's posting it now as I'm still in hospital and can't access my phone for too long. Thank you for your patience, enjoy the final chapter x

Lance bent backwards over his last cardboard box, huffing out a breath of relief. He heard Keith scuffling around behind him, shifting the final few pieces of furniture into position. Glancing back, Lance was greeted with the gorgeous, upside-down view of Keith wiping sweat from his brow with the end of his shirt.

Dust swirled in the white, unfettered morning light streaming through the bare windows, hanging limply in the air around the piles and piles of boxes cluttering the room. Dust bunnies the size of golf balls gathered on parts of the stripped wooden floorboards where furniture used to reside, making Lance cough on every inhale.

"It was cool of Veronica to let us take her room." Keith said, surveying his surroundings with his hands on his hips.

Since Lance had been let out of the hospital, Keith hadn't left his side, not even once. So it had been unequivocally agreed that he would live between the McClain's and Shiro's apartment - the only problem they'd faced was fitting his stuff into Lance's room. Thankfully, Veronica had graciously let them take her much larger bedroom, claiming Lance's guitar as reimbursement.

"Too bad she never cleaned." Lance turned his nose up as yet another cluster of dust wafted towards him.

"It just needs some dusting." Keith batted his hand dismissively, "At least you can fit a double bed in here, I'm getting tired of waking up with you crushing me."

"You weren't complaining this morning." Lance shot back with a wink, "In fact, if I remember correctly, this morning it was _you_ who-"

"Rosa!" Keith cut in loudly with a forced smile as Lance's mother entered the room, peering around.

"You're officially moved in?" She clapped her hands together with a smile.

"Just shifted the final box." Lance boasted, slinging his arm over Keith's shoulder. The smaller boy settled into his side comfortably.

"I'm so happy for you boys." She beamed, cheeks rosy, "When do you start at the studio, Keith?"

"Camila said I can start anytime this week." Keith said cooly, not missing the way Lance's arm tightened proudly around his shoulder. Camila had offered Keith a part time job shortly after Lance was released from hospital at her studio, after one of his paintings she'd hung in the gallery caught a lot of attention from her customers.

"She said he could own it, one day." Lance gloated for his boyfriend, nuzzling his nose in his hair. Keith scowled bashfully, pinching Lance's side.

Rosa sighed whimsically, "Everything's falling into place. Keith's at the studio, Lance is going to the Garrison-"

"I haven't been accepted, yet, mom." Lance frowned.

"You still haven't got your letter?" Keith peered up at him, worrying his lip.

Lance shrugged, "Nah, but I don't mind either way. The Garrison was my dream, but... I think right now, I have everything I could possibly want." He smiled wryly down at Keith, a bashful blush cascading across his cheeks.

"Still," Keith countered, "You'll definitely get in." He assured him, rubbing his shoulder.

"Not if his attendance gets any lower." Veronica pointed out as she passed the room, hamper clutched in her hands, "Speaking of, shouldn't you two be in class right now, rather than sprinkling your nastiness all over my room?"

"It's _our_ room, and yeah, we should probably get going." Lance admitted, reluctantly releasing Keith from his hold.

"Remember to take lunch!" Rosa ordered, waggling her finger at Keith in particular as he passed, hand in hand with Lance, "You're still regaining your strength."

"Yes, mom." Lance drawled. Despite his disdain, he still grabbed two brown paper bags full of food from the kitchen table Rosa had set out, handing one to a smirking Keith.

"You know she'll kill me if I don't." Lance murmured his defense as Keith took the bag.

"It's adorable how terrified of her you are, really." Keith teased as he tucked his lunch in to his bag, feeling his stomach gurgle a little as the smell of pulled pork reached his nostrils.

"Speaking of people I'm terrified of, have you seen Shiro lately?" Lance inquired jokingly as he unlocked his car.

"Nah, he's been hanging out with Adam a lot." Keith shrugged, sliding into the passenger's seat, "It seems they've worked things out. Even though Shiro freaked out when he found out he was Adam's soulmate, I think he's accepted it."

"They probably just had a ton of sex. That tends to smooth things over just fine." Lance grinned wolfishly.

Keith wrinkled his nose, "Thank you for that image, Lance." He scowled.

"I mean, it works for us, so-"

 _"Lance."_ Keith hit him harshly on the arm, blushing, "Would you just drive?"

"Yes, sir." Lance rolled his eyes, starting the engine and pulling away from his house, "Y'know, you terrify me more than my mom, sometimes."

"Good."

Pidge and Hunk were waiting patiently for them near their usual parking space, shivering away beneath their winter coats. The campus was covered in slippery, iridescent ice, causing milling students to fall down, left right and center.

"God, I love Christmas." Lance sighed wistfully as he and Keith observed a girl fall down the last two steps to the parking lot, rubbing her butt with a pout after collecting her scattered papers.

"You're a terrible human being." Keith frowned.

"Correct, since I'm not a human being." Lance continued to chuckle to himself. Keith grabbed his bag from the floor of the car and popped the door open, treading carefully onto the frosty concrete, feeling Lance's eyes on him, eagerly waiting for him to fall. Thankfully he made it onto the walkway without so much as a skid, arms folded triumphantly.

Keith guffawed when, upon finally exiting the car, Lance immediately skidded across the frosty grass, landing flat on his face at Pidge and Hunk's feet.

"Looks like karma finally found my list." Pidge smirked as Lance stumbled to his feet, whacking his small friend over the head before promptly tripping another time. Thankfully, Hunk caught his arm before he could hit the floor, holding him up firmly.

"Just let him fall, Hunk." Keith murmured through the scarf muffling his face, cheeks dusky pink and mini-icicles hanging from his long lashes. Lance looked at him with offence, pressing his hand to his heart, feigning pain.

"I thought you loved me, Keith?"

"What on earth gave you that idea?" Keith said, flouncing past nonchalantly.

"I don't know, maybe the fact you say it _all the time._ Especially when you're sat on my-"

"Quiet, we're gonna be late!" Hunk said abruptly, peeling Lance's arms off of him, sending him floundering backwards.

Lance squawked, and was about to fall again before Keith swooped forwards, wrapping his hand around his waist to hold him up.

"Aw, my hero." Lance swooned, wrapping his arm around Keith's shoulder and kissing the side of his temple.

"Whatever, just don't fall and crush me." Keith grumbled, despite the blush mingling with the cold flush of his cheeks. Pidge walked with them towards class as they squeezed onto each other tightly, holding on for dear life every time one of them landed on a patch of icy mush.

They eventually made it inside, but Lance kept his arm around Keith's shoulder anyway as they walked through the halls, Pidge making vomiting noises from behind them every time he planted a kiss on his head.

"Just because you're a husk incapable of emotion doesn't mean we have to be too." Lance retorted over his shoulder, Pidge promptly flipping him off in return.

"Nobody wants to see you eating your boyfriend, Lance."

"People would be _lucky_ to see me eating-"

"Lance if you finish that sentence I'm holding out on you for eternity." Keith pinched him violently.

Lance pouted, rubbing over his arm and the tender flesh Keith had caught between his pincers.

"What did I do to suffer this abuse?" He whimpered.

Pidge and Keith answered in unison, "Exist."

They finally reached Iverson's classroom (with a helping of Lance complaining along the way), trailing ice all the way up the felt-lined stairs until they were in their usual seats. The normality made Keith feel blissfully jovial after so many weeks of chaos, like things had returned to normal.

Well, as normal as they could be with a vampire boyfriend.

"Are you feeling okay?" Lance's breath suddenly fanned over his ear, his thumb caressing his wrist. It was thanks to Keith's blood that Lance was able to recover so quickly, but Keith's constant assurances that he was fine didn't stop Lance from doting on him whenever he got the chance.

"I'm fine." Keith nuzzled against him surely, tucking his head into the crook of Lance's shoulder so the warm fabric of his coat cushioned his cheek.

"I can't wait until today is over - a whole two weeks without Iverson will be bliss." Pidge sighed wistfully as she pulled her books from her bag.

"I dunno, I kinda missed the miserable bastard while I was in hospital." Lance grinned.

"You're crazy." Keith murmured, but still, he bathed in the familiarity of his boyfriend and his surroundings - the whir of the fan, the scribble of Pidge's pencil as she prepared for the lesson - it left him brimming with radiant warmth.

Up until, along with a cold gust of wind, Iverson arrived, and the class fell into silence.

His eyes honed in on Lance immediately, and an expression Keith had never seen on the man before spread over his features.

He could have sworn it was relief.

"Nice of you to finally show up, Mr. McClain, Mr. Kogane." He announced with his usual, stoic expression.

"Morning, sir. I'm sure your life has been empty without us." Lance returned, blowing his professor a kiss. A telling smile played over Keith's lips. Oh, how he had missed this.

"Your presence was sorely missed." Iverson deadpanned, though there was a sneaking sincerity to his tone, "Shall we begin?"

———————❖———————

When Keith woke Christmas morning, the first thing he saw was stars. Hundreds of them, plastered over their ceiling, the few still shrouded in winter darkness pulsing with light. He blinked up at them drearily, just awake enough to be conscious of the warm breath fanning over his neck and legs entwined with his own, clothed in the pajama bottoms that were usually paired with the patchwork shirt Keith wore.

He rolled over onto his side, glancing over Lance's sleeping features. He exhaled a shallow breath, careful not to let it wake his boyfriend. Lance shifted and a small noise escaped him, his arms subconsciously wrapping firmly around Keith. Over his shoulder Keith caught a glance of Lance's _Star Trek_ alarm clock, one of the many pieces of childhood memorabilia Lance had decorated their room with, its glowing display disclosing that it was just a little past 8am.

Resting up on his elbow, Keith rubbed at his eyes wearily, before peering back down at Lance. His eyes followed the expanse of his exposed chest, the scars that were littered all over the otherwise flawless skin there causing his mouth to twitch. He reached out, admiring how their skin contrasted as he drew invisible patterns over the rough pieces of flesh, then up to his shoulders and neck.

Lance's eyelashes fluttered a little at the stimulation, the little flash of blue telling Keith that he was now surely awake, prompting him to lean down and press a tender kiss to Lance's temple, then his nose, then his cheeks, and finally the soft corner of his lips.

Lance's eyes were fully open when Keith next looked up into them, clouded with a mixture of lust and morning mist. He reached out to Keith, sliding his fingers into his hair and dragging him into a proper kiss.

It was clumsy and unrefined considering their early morning drowsiness, but it was so familiar Keith was suddenly concerned that he might burst into tears. It was warm, and comfortable, and-

_Home._

Keith was finally home.

Seemingly unaware of the emotion building in Keith's stomach, Lance placed one last, lingering kiss onto Keith's lips before falling back into his pillow, a lazy smile spread across his lips.

"Good morning." He hummed, voice husky, like ground coffee. Keith wanted to kiss him again.

"Merry Christmas." He said instead. He chuckled to himself at the joyous spark that lit up in Lance's eye, his grin growing even wider.

"I've always wanted to spend Christmas with my soulmate." Lance said softly, thumbing over Keith's cheek. Keith smiled.

"Sorry to keep you waiting so long." He said sincerely, capturing Lance in another incessant kiss. He could sense the passion rising in his throat, urging him to lick teasingly against the seam of Lance's lips.

Lance pulled him closer and he turned to jelly, melting in Lance's arms to seep into every crevice he could. He slid his thigh up the side of Lance's body, now seated on top of him as they continued the heated kiss. Lance had his palms planted on his cheeks, holding him in place as he always did when they kissed, as if he feared Keith would try to escape if he let go.

"Your family is downstairs." Keith murmured, hearing the tell-tale clattering of pans from the kitchen.

Lance hummed in acknowledgement, but didn't push Keith away. Instead he tugged him closer, mouthing along his jaw, up to his ear. He bit the lobe, toying with it between his teeth gently before pulling back to whisper into Keith's ear.

"Then we better be very quiet, hadn't we?" Keith could feel the smirk in his words. This time he didn't roll his eyes, though, instead he smirked along with Lance, daring to roll his hips a little.

The growl that Lance rewarded him with caused him to shiver. He ran his hands up and down Keith's thighs, leaving sparks in the wake of his fingertips.

"How do you want me?" Keith panted against his mouth before attaching himself to the vampire's neck, sucking and licking until a bright pink mark had bloomed there.

"Any way I can." Lance breathed, "Spread open for me, beneath me, bouncing on my cock; as long as I get to hear you scream."

Keith shivered, itching to rub his legs together. He was already hard and leaking, his thin briefs doing nothing to hide the fact. He was certain that if Lance kept talking like that, he could come from only his words.

"Make love to me." He sighed, flexing his hips for a second time, feeling Lance also hard beneath him, "Please. I need you." He moaned, Lance bringing one of his fingers up to circle around his hole, still slightly loose from the night before.

"Tease." Lance groaned, nibbling at his boyfriend's neck, "You know I love it when you beg."

Keith gasped as slightly cold hands slipped beneath his shirt, lithe thumbs pressing against his nipples. Lance moved his thumbs in circular motions, and suddenly something deep within Keith began to throb.

"La-Lance, l-lube." He stuttered, partly because of the cold, but mostly because of the dizzying ministration of Lance's fingers. He'd always been particularly sensitive, but he'd never realised just how much until he first let Lance explore him.

He sighed in relief when Lance pulled his fingers from under Keith's shirt, reaching beneath the pillow to his left to retrieve the lube buried beneath it. Keith jumped with excitement at the familiar click of the cap, hole quivering in anticipation.

"Want this off?" Lance whispered, fiddling with the ends of Keith's shirt as he drizzled lube over his fingers. Keith shook his head, teeth chattering a little.

"T-Too cold." He explained as Lance rubbed the lube to warm it a little, before pulling Keith's briefs over his ass and pressing his thumb behind Keith, against the rim of his hole.

"Then let me warm you up." Lance insisted, kissing him deeply as he pushed the first finger into Keith. Keith's breath left him in a hurry, his body immediately becoming overrun with tingling sensation. He was lying firmly against Lance, quivering a little as that magical finger began to thrust within him.

He wrapped his arms around Lance's neck, fingers skimming over his shoulders as his boyfriend prepped him, sliding another broad and warm finger into him. Keith shuddered, legs spreading wider.

He reached between them, rubbing the heel of his palm over Lance's rock-hard cock, straining against his blue boxers, staining them darker with precome. Lance groaned, promptly flipping Keith onto his back, keeping those two fingers moving all the while.

"I won't last if you do that." He growled, shoving a third finger into Keith, making him arch his back and cry out in pleasure.

"Then d-don't." Keith stuttered.

Lance shook his head, "I wanna save it, fill you up until you're dripping with my cum." He lilted, causing Keith to throw his head back and _whimper._

"Then get on with it." He urged, pulling Lance's fingers from himself. Before Lance could protest he rolled over, pushing his hips up into the air, thighs spread wide.

"God, you're fucking _gorgeous."_ Lance marveled, rubbing his palm over one of Keith's cheeks, pushing it apart a little to reveal his shiny opening. He licked his lips, eyes following a drop of lube as it slipped from Keith and trailed down his thighs. 

"Can I eat you out?"

Keith blushed fiercely, "Wha- y-you can't just ask shit like that."

"Would you rather I just went ahead and did it?" Lance countered, mouthing over Keith's ass cheeks, one after the other. Keith's retort died on his lips as Lance licked right over his entrance, a throaty gasp leaving his mouth instead. Lance simultaneously reached round to grab Keith's cock, which until that moment had been hanging within his briefs, angry red and aching for attention.

"So pretty." Lance cooed as Keith buried his face in his arms and the surrounding pillows, glancing back to survey the lustful expression on Lance's face.

"Sh-Shut up." Keith whined. If Lance kept talking, he would surely cum in his briefs.

Lance turned his attention back to Keith's little, pink hole, kissing it tenderly before laving against it with his tongue.

"Lance." Keith uttered as the vampire started thrusting his tongue within him, shivering as Lance just thrust harder in reply, sucking lightly on his rim.

"Fuck, Lance that's so good, don't stop, _please-"_ His pleas dragged out in to a long moan that made his throat burn. He could feel himself losing it, every flick or swivel of Lance's tongue bringing him closer and closer to the edge.

"Spread your legs a little more, babe." Lance said, pulling away, pressing Keith further into the bed he lay beside him, pressing up against his back.

"Ready?" He whispered into his ear. Keith hesitated for a second - it was all so overwhelming, feeling Lance real, firm and _breathing_ behind him, after so many weeks of wondering if he'd lose the first good thing he'd ever really had. Glancing over his shoulder, he took a moment to just look at Lance, to sweep his gaze over the cliff of his nose, his lips and chin.

"Go ahead." He finally breathed, eyes squeezing shut as Lance swiftly slid between his cheeks, thrusting slowly inside of him. Keith was winded at the first intrusion, head knocked back by the sheer sensation of being fucked into. It was moments like this he remembered Lance was a vampire, a predator that had complete control over him. And right now, Keith was positively _static_ against Lance, able to do nothing but hiccup with pleasure as Lance began to drag out of him.

But he really didn't have the audacity to care about that. Not when he was so alive with sensation, buzzing as pleasure soared through his entire body.

"I love you." Lance breathed into his ear, breath caressing his temple, "Wanna be with you, every day. I wanna wake up with you like this, wanna go to sleep knowing that... you'll be there when I wake up, _fuck-"_ Lance was babbling, Keith could tell, sliding in and out of him at a maddening pace.

"You're so beautiful, Keith." Lance told him, kissing along his shoulders, making Keith's stomach do somersaults.

"I love you." He finally croaked, "I _love you_ Lance, so much." He reached behind him, tugging at Lance's hair to keep him close as they began to roll their hips in tandem.

Keith wasn't sure who started crying first. He was just suddenly aware of a wetness collecting at his shoulders, and then of his own tears. His eyes stung and Lance was shaking behind him, holding onto him so tightly Keith was subconsciously concerned he was going to be asphyxiated.

"G-Gonna-" Lance stuttered.

"Me too." Keith breathed, "Together."

Moments later Lance spilled inside of him, filling him just as he'd promised, prompting Keith's vision to go white, and his cock to explode, white streaks covering his chest and parts of the briefs he'd shoved down to his thighs.

They panted together for a moment. Lance untangling their legs to quietly creep across the hall to the bathroom, retrieving a wet rag.

When he returned Keith was sprawled over the bed, stretching his arms out lazily. He was covered in cum and his hair was a mess, but Lance swore he'd never looked so beautiful.

His eyes opened and he flinched as Lance began to swipe the cloth over his sticky chest, whining at the cold touch.

"Want me to carry you to the shower?" Lance asked softly, with a smug smile painted on his face. Keith only hummed his consent, reaching his arms up to wrap around Lance's shoulders. Lance lifted him from the bed as tenderly as he could, Keith curled around him like a koala as he padded them into the bathroom.

It was a chilly Christmas morning but the warm water soon ceased their trembling, Lance's hands carefully carding through Keith's hair as he washed it, before turning so Keith could do the same for him.

"I smell breakfast..." Keith commented as Lance was drying his hair once they'd finished in the shower, eyes expanding as his tongue darted out to wet his lips.

Lance grinned, kissing Keith's damp forehead before dressing him in the festive clothes he'd brought in for him.

Keith wrinkled his nose at the light up reindeer sweater, but kept it on nonetheless as he pulled his jeans and socks on. With a now dressed Lance in tow, he exited the misty bathroom, steam flooding out in curling wisps after them.

Excitement bubbled in his chest as the sound of Christmas music and loud chattering reached his ears from the staircase, hand sliding into Lance's to tug him quicker towards the top of the stairs.

"Slow down, we're gonna fall." Lance chuckled as Keith dragged him towards the sweet smells coming from the kitchen.

Keith caught a small glimpse of the McClain's Christmas tree after reaching the bottom of the stairs, acknowledging once again what a ridiculous thing it was. It bent backwards against the ceiling, creating permanent scrapes in the plaster, the fairy Veronica had crafted taped haphazardly to the top. It looked like it belonged in a forest, dominating the small room the way it did.

"Keith, Lance!" Rosa appeared in front of them, spoon in hand, per usual, "Just in time - I'm serving breakfast." She ushered them into the kitchen towards their usual seats, shoving them down with the force of a heavyweight champion.

"Your shirt is inside out, hermano." Veronica sniped, a smug smile on her face.

Lance's gaze shot down, eyes landing on the tag on his sweater which, as his sister had also noticed, was sticking off on the outside.

"So it is..." He swallowed, glancing over to Keith, who was smirking against the rim of his glass.

"You must have been distracted." The human lilted, sipping at his orange juice.

Rosa appeared between them before Lance's gaze could turn menacing enough to shoot lasers, placing two plates tacked full of pancakes on front of them. Keith was quickly occupied with his breakfast, smiling softly at the little edible snowflakes Rosa had sprinkled on top.

At some point during the meal Lance turned to his boyfriend, observing him for as long as he could without being caught. The corner of his mouth inclined as a piece of whipped cream caught just beneath Keith's nose, and he reached out with a poised thumb to brush it away. Keith froze at the touch, turning to Lance perplexedly.

"I'm starting to think you like having white stuff all over your mouth." He breathed into Keith's ear, reveling in the unmissable blush that scorched on Keith's cheeks.

"EW." Veronica squealed, slapping her hands over her ears, "Super-sensitive hearing, Lance, remember? Don't say gross shit at the dinner table." She scowled, the others around the table nodding in agreement as Keith turned so red it looked like he was trying to morph into a cranberry. Elena and Sebastian just looked confused.

The family finished eating in a matter of minutes, and then there was a hand, sticky with syrup, landing on Keith's forearm.

"Presents!" Elena squealed, hauling Keith from his chair as quickly as he'd been pushed into it before bounding into the living room, keeping a firm grip on his arm.

Lance followed after, sweater corrected and his hands tucked in his pockets. He plopped down on the floor in front of the armchair Keith had fallen (and almost been absorbed) into. Keith rested his legs on Lance's shoulders without a word, smiling softly as his boyfriend pressed a soft kiss to an exposed part of his ankle.

"Alright, who's first?" Rosa asked once everyone had filed into the room, standing in front of the towering Christmas tree brimming with gifts.

"Me!" Lance shot forward, "I wanna give Keith his, first." He wore an ecstatic grin as he rifled beneath the tree, until he emerged with a small red box, adorned with a silver bow.

Keith took it from him delicately, curling his legs beneath him to edge further forwards on the armchair. He stared at the box for a few seconds before his gaze flitted up to look Lance in the eye.

"Lance, if this is a ring, I'll kill you."

Lance rolled his eyes, "Cool it, hothead, it's not a ring."

Keith eyed the package suspiciously nonetheless, before proceeding to rip it open. He paused when the paper he been discarded to regard the object nestled in his hand. It made a satisfying sloshing sound as he examined it, something scarily akin to endearment taking root inside of him.

"Lance..." He breathed, lifting the object into the morning light. It was a snow globe, the scene in the middle a perfect painted replica of the lake he and Lance had visited on their first date, surrounding illuminated trees and all. In the center was the bench they'd sat on, two figures painted in an embrace beneath the trees.

"Took a _lot_ of convincing to get Camila to paint it for me." Lance smiled coyly, "Do you like it?"

Keith was welling up before Lance had even finished the sentence, globe filling with pretty white flecks of fake snow from the shaking of his hand. Lance eyes widened as he witnessed the beginning of a total emotional breakdown, hands flying up to grip onto Keith's arms as he trembled.

"Keith? Are you okay? Oh my god, do you hate it?" His brow furrowed in worry as Keith started to cry, refusing to take his eyes off the precious object in his hand.

He swallowed the lump in his throat and final brought his gaze to Lance's, cracking a smile.

"I love it."

And then he lurched forwards, wrapping his arms around Lance's neck and burrowing into it, snow globe still clasped in his hand. Lance sighed in relief and returned the embrace, kissing Keith's cheek lovingly.

"Disgusting." Luis contorted his face into a grimace, releasing a high-pitched squeak when Rosa promptly elbowed him in the side.

"Alright." She clapped her hands together, "I want to give Lance his, next."

Lance detached himself from Keith slightly, turning around to see Rosa thrusting a letter towards him. At first glance it appeared to be encased in nothing more than a plain white envelope. But on further inspection Lance noticed a familiar orange and grey emblem taped down on the back.

"Mama... is this...?" His mouth lolled open as the Garrison sticker shone into his eyes beneath the living room lights.

"It came yesterday. I wanted to surprise you." Rosa beamed, "Open it!"

In the corner Veronica raised her brow, folding his thin arms together as she eyed the envelope.

"Mama, you realize that if he doesn't get in you'll have ruined Christmas, right?" She drawled, resting her chin sweetly in her palm.

"Hush," Rosa scowled, "He will get in. I'm sure of it."

Lance looked nervously down at the envelope, then inevitably up at Keith, who'd quickly wiped his tears away and was now wearing an expression of confidence, indistinguishable from Rosa's.

"Open it." Keith encouraged, taking Lance's free hand and rubbing his thumb over his knuckles, "You've worked so hard, there's no way you haven't gotten in."

Lance glanced back down at the envelope, tearing at his lip with his sharp teeth, face depicting hesitancy.

Keith lowered himself a little, tilting Lance's chin up with a gentle finger.

"No matter what's inside, it won't change how I feel about you. How _any_ of us feel about you." He said firmly, hearing an affirming hum around the room from the rest of Lance's family.

Lance exhaled heavily as Keith's hand drifted to his face, thumb stroking over his cheekbone. He took a moment to stare into his boyfriends eyes, attempting to suck the confidence from them into himself. Keeping their gazes locked he tore the envelope from the letter, holding it precariously in his hands before finally looking down, and unfolding it.

Keith swore he'd never held his breath as long as he did waiting for Lance to read the letter. He analysed every part of Lance's face, waiting for a reaction - hopefully of joy - with his hands wringing his wrists.

When Lance turned back up towards him he wore a blank expression that caused Keith's heart to come flying up to his throat. He pinched his lips together, waiting, waiting, waiting.

Until Lance's lips broke into a smile of relief, and he turned the paper, revealing the big bold letters: **APPLICATION ACCEPTED**

"Holy fuck!" Keith sprung up at the same time a his boyfriend, "You got in!" He leaped at Lance, laughing wildly as the vampire spun him around.

"You sound surprised?" Lance chuckled as he let Keith onto his feet, squeaking when Keith lurched forwards to capture his lips, pushing his hands through his hair to keep himself standing.

"I'm so proud of you." Keith whispered against his lips, moments before the rest of the room came rushing forwards, taking turns ruffling Lance's hair and kissing his cheeks, screaming their congratulations over each other.

"I knew you'd get in!" Veronica cheered gleefully as she leaped onto Lance's shoulders, almost sending him toppling over onto the carpet.

"Liar." Lance grinned.

"Okay, I was seventy percent sure." She backtracked.

Rosa stepped back from the madness, hugging herself as she watched the mania unfold in front of her. Luis wrapped around Lance's ankle, Elena and Sebastian babbling away in his arms, Veronica rumpling his hair from his shoulders. She laughed to herself at the crazy family she'd raised, turning her attention to Keith who, much like herself, had removed himself from the bedlam to simply watch on.

She sidled up to him, wrapping her arm around his shoulder.

"Thank you for this. For everything." She said softly into his ear, "Thank you for making my son happy."

Keith turned to her in surprise before pressing his lips together thinly, feeling a lot of unwanted emotion surge up to his throat, choking him up.

"Thank you for giving me a home." His voice cracked as Rosa yanked him towards him, cradling his head against her chest. Through the warm haze around him he spotted Lance looking towards them, eyes portraying masses of love.

Everything was perfect.

———————❖———————

"Come on, you're gonna miss the countdown!" Keith grabbed Lance's arm, dragging him towards the back garden that was booming with friends and family. Shiro and Adam were crowded in a corner, already kissing softly as Pidge and Hunk readied the fireworks next to them, glancing over occasionally to scoff and chuckle.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. God, if I have to spend every New Years Eve for the rest of my life with you, I'm gonna turn grey before I turn 20." Lance chuckled as he watched his tipsy boyfriend stumble through the garden, party hat askew.

"Oh, shush." Keith drawled as he came to a stop near the end of the garden where a fire was crackling away, Rosa and Lorenzo curled up beneath a blanket on a wooden bench beside it. Luis and Veronica were at their feet, roasting marshmallows, bundled up in their coats.

"This is everything I've ever wanted." Lance said as Keith snuggled up against him, wrapping his arms around his waist.

"Me too." Keith said softly, as everyone began to gather around them, waiting for the fireworks. Couples pressed against each other, fathers lifted their children onto their shoulders so they could see above the crowd, and Keith stayed submerged in Lance, gazing up at his boyfriend, while his boyfriend gazed up at the sky.

The countdown began.

Ten.

_Another first day, but not quite like the others. Keith met Lance's eyes from across the room. Lance knew that nothing would ever be the same._

Nine.

_Lance and Keith were wrapped up in each other on a park bench. Lance wanted so badly to kiss him. Lance's gut twisted when he caught Keith in the forest minutes later, covered in a vampire's blood._

Eight.

_Keith felt despair for the first time in years as Lance turned around and walked away, betrayal etched into his features._

Seven.

_Reconciliation. Enlightenment. Hope. Keith let Lance drink, feeling alive as if for the first time._

Six.

_Keith turned away from his brother. He rode, full speed, knowing that if he let Lance go, he'd regret it for the rest of his life._

Five.

_A flash of silver hair. A flash of trouble. Lance surged forwards and kissed Keith for the first time. Keith kissed back._

Four.

_Keith was sprawled over a bathroom counter, and he was bleeding. Lance saw red. Shiro saw reason._

Three.

_Keith was wrapped around him, shivering. Lance realized this was what love felt like._

Two.

_A confrontation, a won battle, and a hospital room full of flowers. Equilibrium finally returned._

One.

_Lance held Keith on a lazy Christmas morning, a forever presence at his back. Later that day, Keith held a small snow globe in his hands, with tears streaming down his cheeks._

Keith turned up to Lance with the same, beautiful smile Lance had come to adore, reaching up to pull Lance down into a gentle kiss as fireworks erupted above them. A shiver ran through Lance - partly because of the cold, but mostly because of how god damn lucky he felt. Keith's hands traveled from his cheeks to his ears, rubbing at them with gloved fingers to warm him up.

"Happy New Year, Lance." His soulmate whispered up to him, "I love you."

At that moment Lance didn't think about their convoluted beginning, and the way they could’ve fucked everything up so many times. He didn't think about the future and how uncertain it was.

He just thought about right now as he looked into Keith’s eyes, the eyes that had brought his world to life all those months ago, and he replied simply-

"I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End <3
> 
> Considering the events of s8, I'm glad I could deliver a happy ending to this story that many of you may not have been granted when Voltron ended. I'm still in a bit of turmoil over what went down, but my fics will continue to be an escape and my own interpretation of the relationships in the series, despite the travesties of canon.
> 
> Thank you very much for reading, all the comments and kudos have meant so much to me. A new fic is in the works and will be coming next year, so keep your eye out for the synopsis on my Instagram @purplelion46! Love each and every one of you.  
> \- Avery x  
> 


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